Different Destiny
by Candace Marie
Summary: Order 66! The Order to exterminate the Jedi has come, can the Clones truly turn against their Jedi Commanders? How will the Galaxy change now that Anakin is not on Coruscent and under Sidious's thumb? The twins have now been born but is their father truly on the lightside? And what of the Jedi Revan? What of the romance between Ahsoka and Rex? Check out Part II, Twist of Fate!
1. Chapter 1

A Different Destiny

Anakin Skywalker, the Chosen One, the Hero With No Fear, Jedi Knight, was pacing his room at the Jedi Temple while Artoo beeped at him. "I know Artoo, what's taken them so long? Ahsoka was innocent," he added. Artoo whistled at him and Anakin graduated stopped pacing. He was so frustrated with the Jedi Council, how could they abandon Ahsoka when she needed them most? Why hadn't they stood behind her as he and Padme had? Padme, his heart softened as he thought of how Padme had rushed to his padawan...no his former padawan's defense. They had become good friends over the course of her apprenticeship. She was like a daughter, like a sister to them both. He felt Master Obi-Wan's presence outside his door before he entered.

"Anakin, the Council is requesting your presence."

"Thank you, Master Obi-Wan," Anakin bowed his head in respect as he joined his friend, who hung in the doorway of his room. Anakin tried to be respectful but he could feel his former master searching his feelings. It was quiet, and unobtrusive, but Anakin resented it. "If you want to know how I feel, Obi-Wan then ask." Obi-Wan was silent. "How could you let them turn their backs on Ahsoka?"

"I was once voice in many, Anakin." Anakin loved Obi-Wan, but the distrust was back.

"Ahsoka needed the trust of the Jedi and you let her down, I let her down," Anakin added humbly. "I should have let her escape."

"Anakin you followed your duty as a Jedi Knight, your duty as a General of the Republic, she was a fugitive."

"She was innocent, Obi-Wan!" Anakin all but roared.

"Yes, we know."

"It was just a formality. Why didn't **you **warn me?"

"I couldn't. My duty is to the Jedi. I cannot discuss Council business with you, Anakin. I'm sure you can understand that."

Anakin frowned. Obi-Wan was not like the rest of the Council. Obi-Wan was his friend. He knew that Obi-Wan would do anything for him, but he had a duty to the Council it was why Anakin had never confided his relationship about Padme with him, he didn't want to put Obi-Wan in a position to chose between him and the Council...because he wasn't sure which he would chose a dark voice whispered in his brain. Anakin shut out the voice. "Lead the way, Master Obi-Wan," Anakin barely held himself off from sneering at the honorific title.

"This way, Anakin," he said and Anakin followed Obi-Wan down the Temple's long cooridors.

"Just one thing, Obi-Wan, what's going to happen to Barriss?"

"Her fate is still being debated," Obi-Wan assured him, but looked like he wish he hadn't. She had framed Ahsoka, his padawan, had been one of her dearest friends and all Obi-Wan could tell AnakinA was that it was being debated. The dragon within Anakin curled up, but Anakin wouldn't react. He wouldn't allow the dragon out. The dragon had been born when the Tuskans killed his mother, but Anakin couldn't let the dragon have free reign not again, he wasn't prepared for the suffering he could cause if he ever let the dragon out. Anakin entered the Council, bowing his head in an imitation of respect. He paused as he felt Ahsoka's presence come nearer. Master Windu handed Anakin Ahsoka's padawan braid as they felt her come closer. Obi-Wan sat in his chair and didn't speak as the other Council members spoke to her. Anakin couldn't hear him, all he could feel was Ahsoka being overwhelmed.

"Snips," he said. "I'm sorry for all that has happened and my part in it. We're asking you back. I'm asking you back," he said with a smile. He knew she wanted to come back. He was taken off guard when she closed his hand over her padawan braid.

"No. I can't. I'm sorry, Anakin," and with that she ran away from the Temple that didn't want her anymore, that she no longer wanted to be a part of. She ran from the disappointments, and the betrayals, from the family that she had once called her own. Behind her she could hear loud footsteps, as they followed her. She didn't slow down. She was done with the Jedi. She was done with being a padawan, and she was done with being a pawn. There was only one Jedi that she cared about now, and he was the one chasing after her. She stopped at the landing pad. He said one word.

"Snips."

"Anakin," she said and pleaded with the Force that he wouldn't plead with her. He was the only Jedi that could still break through her defences. Their bond was still intact, and she knew her master...her former master wouldn't hesitate to exploit it if it meant she would stay, yet she couldn't snap it, it would hurt him.

"Snips, why? The Order is your life. You are making a mistake."

"Maybe, but it's mine to make," she replied calmly. "And they turned on me," her voice heated up. "All of them. They abondoned me, they don't trust me."

"And what about me?" he replied on the edge of a pout. "I believe in you, I trust you."

"I know you do, Anakin, but I can't stay. There's more to my destiny than becoming a Jedi."

"You aren't the only one, Snips," he said, in a strained voice, a low voice, a voice just above a whisper. "My trust in them has been shaken. It's not right what they are doing. I...I could leave the Order, I should have left the Order."

"You..Anakin...you are their Chosen One? Their Hero? They won't allow it."

"They would more than allow it, Snips," he laughed hollowly. The war had changed him. Losing her had changed him. She had never heard him sound so haunted, so empty. "If they knew what I've done they would gladly through me out."

"Your war crimes?" she asked, knowing of some of the un-Jedi things he had done.

"No, Snips, my marriage," and the words were out of his mouth before he even thought them.

"YOUR MARRIAGE?" she asked a little loud and looked around. Anakin would surely change his mind about exposing himself, wouldn't he? She would keep his secret, a secret he had finally chosen to share with her. "Does Master Kenobi know?" she asked.

"I couldn't ask him to chose between me and the Council. For Force sake, Snips, he's ON the Council," he explained. She didn't ask him who, she knew. She had always known there was something between her Master and the Senator and now she knew what.

"What will Padme think?"

"She doesn't want me to leave the Order, but after this she will have to understand. They don't trust me either, little one," he added and slowly put his arms around her. "Have you thought of life after the Order? Where you will go? What you will do?" She shook her head numbly. "Stay with me, Snips. Stay with my wife."

"I don't know," Ahsoka mumbled. "How long have you been married?" she asked.

"Longer than I've been your master. Longer than I've been a Knight. Since right after the First Battle of Genosis," he stated, and felt a glowering presence. Anakin gulped as he turned to look into the stoney grey eyes of his former master.

"Obi-Wan," Ahsoka asked, "How long have you been standing there?"


	2. Marriage

Marriage

A/N: As Ahsoka was leaving the Order, Anakin caught up to her and has decided to leave the Order as well, citing his marriage as a reason. Ahsoka has deducted who he is married to and Obi-Wan arrived to overhear that his former padawan is, indeed married.

"Obi-Wan," Ahsoka asked, "How much did you hear?"

Obi-Wan smiled kindly at Anakin's padawan, well ex-padawan and spoke in gentle tones. He had always called her Padawan Tano. The Jedi had been a stickler for formalities which was something Anakin had never taken to, which was why Ahsoka had been able to get away with calling Anakin Skyguy. Obi-Wan chuckled at the thought. "Padaw..." Obi-Wan stopped, Ahsoka wasn't a padawan anymore. "I am not angry with you, child."

"Master Kenobi, I am not a Jedi nor a child," she replied, feeling the serenity and yet underlying feelings of compassion that she always felt in his presence.

"You have my deepest apologies for what the Council and the Jedi put you through. I tried, though I was but one voice out of many."

"Master Kenobi," Ahsoka tried again, since Anakin appeared to be in a trance, a trance he was snapping out of quickly, she noticed that his eyes appeared to blaze like a lightsaber caught in his pupils. "How much did you hear?"

"If you will excuse us...Ahsoka, this is between me and my former padawan."

"How dare you?" Anakin stated. "You are as bad as they are. You let them expel her, and you said nothing," Anakin exploded. "You lied to me, you have deceived us. The Jedi Council and its wisdom. They are no better than the politicians you always detested."

"And you seem to spend a lot of time with politicians, Anakin. Which is why you haven't been made a master." Anakin colored thinking of his secret ambition to become a Jedi Master before thirty. That would make him the youngest, younger than Master Obi-Wan, and younger than Master Windu.

"This has nothing to do with them."

"I believe, Anakin, it has everything to do with them. I would prefer not to have this conversation in public. Shall we go back to your room at the Temple or..." Obi-Wan trailed off, and Anakin knew what he was asking. They had been on the verge of yelling at each other. The three of them had formed a triad, with Anakin in the center, the feeling was so familiar, that Anakin maintained a feeling of deja vu, and a memory suppressed within him, stirred. Anakin would ponder the memory that rose up within him later, now he had to deal with his master and the rest of the Council. Anakin turned away from both his former master and padawan and looked out at the air traffic.

"It seems, Master Obi-Wan, that all my life I have had a master. I believe its time for me to forge my own destiny. I never wanted to be the Chosen One," he began quietly. "I want...no, I need a destiny of my own where there is no one I must refer to as Master."

Obi-Wan laid a hand on his shoulder. "Have I really been that hard on you, my former padawan?"

Anakin looked up into Obi-Wan gray eyes, and felt bad about the guilt in them. "No, Obi-Wan, it wasn't you but me. It's time for me to not only confront my past, but to forge a future with my wife."

"Senator Amidala?" Obi-Wan asked. Anakin nodded confirming Obi-Wan's guess. "You made a vow to the Jedi Order, a vow not easily broken."

"What about the vow I made to my wife?" Anakin countered.

"Anakin, I can't believe you were married since Genosis, while you were still my padawan, perhaps, there is somewhere we should go so we won't be overheard," Obi-Wan suggested as he felt the pull of the Council. They would be coming to check on his progress with Anakin and Ahsoka. Anakin nodded and took the driver's seat in an air-speeder and waited for his passengers to get in. He made his way to the 500 Republica with his friends close to his heels. Once at Padme's apartment, he pressed his human thumb to the panel which opened up. Ahsoka and Obi-Wan noticed Anakin's protocol droid.

"Master Anakin, Master Obi-Wan, Padawan Tano, please can I get you some refreshments. Senator Amidala is involved in meetings today."

"I know where Padme is Three-poi," Anakin told his droid. "You can power down now, and I'll make sure you receive an oil bath later."

"Splendid, Master Ani!" the droid replied enthused. Obi-Wan smiled faintly. Anakin had always had a thing for machines. Sometimes, Obi-Wan thought Anakin was part-machine. "If I may ask where is Artoo? I find that I miss the little astromech."

"Artoo was sent with Captain Rex," Ahsoka replied. "He is due home any day now."

"Shutting down now," Three-poi replied. Anakin poured the refreshments himself, and sat down.

"You were saying, Master," Anakin asked as he took the glove off his mechanical hand. He did try to be as comfortable as possible when there was no one around he would frighten. He stretched his long legs out as Obi-Wan began to pace.

"Since Genosis? While you were my padawan?" Obi-Wan said, trying to maintain his calm.

"Yes, and yes," Anakin answered with ease. He felt as if a great weight had just been lifted from his shoulders. He was free, even the darkness had eased up, the dragon seemed to have gone into a coma, and the light, he hadn't felt this kind of light since he had married Padme. "Stop pacing, Obi-Wan, you make me anxious," Anakin replied idly.

"When were you planning on telling me?"

"It wasn't really a plan," Anakin asked, using the Force to carry him a shurra fruit, he bit into it. This conversation was making him hungry. Obi-Wan was not so amused.

"So you were going to keep me in the dark?" Obi-Wan asked. Anakin was tempted to reply that the dark side clouded everything but refused. However, thanks to the training bond that had been weakened but not severed, Obi-Wan heard him anyway.

"Your projecting again, Anakin, how many times have I told you how important it is to keep your shields intact?" he asked.

"About the same amount of times you've told me about my lightsaber," came the amused reply from the youth.

"Are you going to leave the Order?" Obi-Wan asked his friend.

"I'm not sure. What I do know is that the Jedi have fallen far from the path they are meant to follow. I enjoy being a soldiers, Obi-Wan, but the Jedi are supposed to be peacekeepers. I don't entirely agree with most anything the Council says. They react without evidence, just because they are afraid to be seen weak by the Senate. I am married to a Senator and she doesn't see me as weak," Anakin replied, trying to lighten the way the conversation had turned.

"What about your destiny, Anakin?"

"It doesn't say he has to be a Jedi to bring balance to the Force, does it?" Ahsoka asked.

"But my master took it to mean that," Obi-Wan argued.

"I'm not saying that Anakin is to become a Sith," Ahsoka argued, "He can serve the light without being a Jedi. Are you going to turn him in?"

"I'm going to turn myself in," Anakin stated, as he finished his fruit.

"Don't do anything rash without speaking to me first," Obi-Wan warned him. "I'm going to meditate on this." Obi-Wan stood to go. "This conversation is long from being over."

"I know, Master."

"Anakin, what caused this rift between us," Obi-Wan asked.

"You did, Master. When you allowed me to believe you had died. I will always be there for you, but I cannot trust you like I did," Anakin answered honestly.

"Perhaps in time we can repair the damage that has been done." Anakin watched his former master leave and wondered if he should talk to Palpatine as well. He wondered what Palpatine would say about his latest scrape. He had always been so supportive. Anakin picked up some sheets and motioned for Ahsoka to follow him into the spare room. "I am glad that you will be staying Ahsoka. I would have worried about you," he admitted.

"I would have made it just fine. I know. I will see if I can have your lightsaber returned."

"You will have your own fate to worry about."

"Don't I know it," Anakin replied. "Get some sleep, little one." He turned around and ran into someone he hadn't expected to see. On reflex, he steadied himself.


	3. Chapter 3

Padme Amidala

Anakin steadied himself and pulling his hands simply around his wife's trim waist, turned her around and away from the extra bedroom. Anakin laughed as he lowered his lips to his wife's. He felt consumed with passion, and yet, the urgency was gone. He was going to be with Padme for the rest of his life, no more hiding no more lies. Anakin drew his lips away from hers, and kissed a line up her neck. One there he nibbled on her ear and whispered, "Obi-Wan knows." He watched as the haze his wife had been under cleared and she pushed him away.

"What do you mean Obi-Wan knows? How did he find out?" she asked, her voice hitched as worry entered it. "Will they kick you out of the Order?"

"I don't care if they do!" Anakin declared vehemently.

"Anakin, the Jedi are your life."

"No," he shook his head, "They aren't. You are my life. You weren't there, Padme," he replied, as the memories of being in the Council came back to him. "They abandoned Ahsoka, and they didn't even apologize. It was nothing to them what they did to her. This whole situation has disillusioned me. I cannot belong to an Order that could turn their back on one of their own. What if it had been me, Padme."

"I understand, Anakin. But the Jedi are your family are your friends."

"And our place in this war is wrong. I fear that this war is a trap for the Jedi. A plot against the Jedi, and the Council is too blind to see it."

"Have you told them this?"

"No. Padme, they fear me, I can feel it. They fear my powers, what I can do."

"Surely, Obi-Wan..."

"No, Obi-Wan's different but Master Yoda, Master Windu...I can't remain in the Order, Padme. I am tired of the secrecy of the lies. I want you to come to the Council with me, I want to put an end to the secrets. Secrecy is of the Dark Side, my love. And in these times, we cannot afford to be swayed."

"Anakin..."

"I'm not saying our love, Padme, never our love, but the secrecy, my love."

"Should I tell the Senate?" she asked.

"Do whatever you feel you must, it's time for all secrets to come to an end."

"You're right, Anakin. You have my love and support, I will stand by you. I just fear that the only reason that we are winning this war is because people believe in you, Anakin."

"There are other Jedi, and if they allow it I will stay a General of the Republic, I just cannot stay a Jedi."

"Anakin, what will you do?"

"There are many possibilities, my love. We can have a family. I'll open a shop, focus on my mechanical skills, it's what brought us together after all," he said with a charming smile. "I don't have to be a Jedi."

"But you love it."

"I love you more, Padme."

"Ani, I will be there. We will figure this out together," she said as she brought her lips back to his.


	4. Facing the Council

Facing the Council

Anakin had forgot to mention Ahsoka to Padme so he sent her a message on her datapad, informing her that Ahsoka was staying at their home and that she would need to be in the Council Chambers with him. He had gotten in the 'fresher quickly, eager to find Obi-Wan and admit his mistakes to the Council. Anakin was in a reflective mood. They may very well take his lightsaber. His lightsaber had always been a part of him, well since he had built this one after the first one had been destroyed on Genosis. He dressed himself in his typical black and brown Jedi garb. He kissed his sleeping life and he was gone. To the Temple, perhaps for the last time. The Jedi gave him a large berth, more than usual, they would have heard of Ahsoka leaving the Order, or the Order leaving her as Anakin thought it had been. He knew he was known for having a bit of a temper, which was probably why they gave him space. They had heard of what Barriss had done and most had witnessed their fight.

Anakin waited at Obi-Wan's door much in the same fashion as Obi-Wan had done to him yesterday. Obi-Wan was still sleeping, what a rare opportunity Anakin thought a mischievous grin on his face. However, Anakin merely sat and waited for the old man to awake. Today was not a day for jokes or pranks, as much as he would like to, he would need his master's support. "I see old age is catching up with you, Obi-Wan, still abed at this hour."

Obi-Wan was instantly up. "For Force sake, Anakin! When we aren't in the field I like to catch up on some sleep, its barely 0800."

"I know," Anakin took pity on him. "I'll fix some caff," he added, going to the other room and leaving Obi-Wan to get dressed. Once dressed Obi-Wan took the caff from him and sipped, slowly.

"Are you still determined to do this thing?"

"Yes, I feel its the right thing to do. Qui-Gon would agree with me," Anakin couldn't help but challenge him.

"Yes, he would. He always balked at the Code, and believed more in following the will of the Force. He would have been on the Council if not for that attitude," Obi-Wan continued. "Although, I wish you would find it in your heart to reconsider..."

"I won't. I can't. Not anymore. The Council and I don't agree, and as long as they can become hypercritical fools, I cannot stay. There is a life for me beyond the Jedi."

"What about me, Anakin? I love you."

"And I love you, Obi-Wan. You have cared for me since I was a small boy. If it hadn't been for you they would have sent me to Agri-Corps or worse they would have returned me to slavery."

"No, they wouldn't have, at least I hope they wouldn't have," Obi-Wan argued. "You have my support, Anakin," Obi-Wan said finally.

"One last spar, Obi-Wan." Anakin asked.

"Always," Obi-Wan answered as they two clasped hands in a moment of true brotherhood. "About my 'death' I am sorry, Anakin. It had to look real, you must understand." Anakin released Obi-Wan's hand.

"No, I can't understand it. I wouldn't have done it to you. Why not let me know after the 'fake' funeral. After they had their reaction. I would have found a way to let you know," Anakin said, and Obi-Wan looked away guilty. "That was another mistake the Council made, but I cannot abide the Order anymore. Why not allow Ahsoka a fair trial? Why not look for the real guilty party? She could have been executed Obi-Wan and none of the Jedi even tried to prevent it."

"I know, my voice was but one." Anakin nodded, not holding it against his friend. They sparred and as always drew a crowd. They knew each others strengths and weaknesses well, as the blue blades swung to life, clashing time and time again. Obi-Wan gave ground as Anakin gained it, whipping so fast that he was a near blue. Obi-Wan stood still as he defended himself, the master of Sorusu. He didn't need all the grace that Anakin displayed, he kept his own by allowing Anakin, ground while matching him movement for movement. Two hours later, they were both out of breathe and had returned to their respective rooms for a shower and fresh clothes. Once done, they headed to the Council room, Anakin's nervous energy had dissipated but not disappeared. Obi-Wan went in first to request the audience with the Council. Anakin waited and sent Padme a message through the Force just in case. Once, he felt Obi-Wan usher him in. He entered, walking quickly to the center of the room.

"About your former padawan this is," asked the always wise voice of Master Yoda.

"I would like to request her lightsabers be returned to her," Anakin began, after all he had promised to see them returned.

"Debate on this, we must. A Jedi's lightsaber, sacred it is. Part of the Jedi, it is. A Jedi no longer, Ahsoka Tano chose."

"I understand, Master Yoda," Anakin stated, doing his best to project serenity to the Jedi Masters, "With or without the Order, Ahsoka will always be a Jedi," Anakin stated.

"More to say, have you, Young Skywalker," Yoda asked him, his alien ears drooping slightly. The Jedi would never stand up to Master Yoda, Anakin suddenly understood. He remembered the first time he had stood here with Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan and how they refused his training.

"Yes, I do," Anakin took a deep breathe. "I have made a breach of the Code, I have broken my vow to the Jedi Order," Anakin said, and watched as the Council whispered between themselves. Only Obi-Wan was silent, only Obi-Wan looked at him knowingly.

"Is there a witness to this, Skywalker?" Master Plo asked.

"Yes," Anakin answered.

"You wish to become a politician?" asked Master Windu.

"You have been selfish?" asked Master Mundu

"You have attacked an unarmed man?" asked another Jedi. Anakin sighed and waited for the debate to end.

Obi-Wan cleared his throat. "I believe Anakin refers to the attachment rule," Obi-Wan stated. "Anakin, please continue." Anakin smiled, Good old Obi-Wan.

"Yes. Shortly after the battled of Genosis, I took another vow. A vow...that means more to me than being a Jedi. A vow that made me a husband."

"A husband, you say, Skywalker. But attached, are you?"

"I am."

"But you are the Chosen One?" Master Windu questioned. "The one that the prophecy spoke of. The one destined to destroy the Sith and Bring Balance to the Force."

"I don't know," Anakin answered. "I never claimed that title."

"Master Qui-Gon believed it to be so," Obi-Wan continued.

"I love my wife very much."

"Love can lead to the dark side," Master Plo Kloon said. Several Jedi nodded.

"Should we expel him?" asked another Master.

"Hold on, now wait a minute," Anakin stated, holding up his hand and giving away all pretense of serenity. Ahsoka opened the door and ushered Padme in. Anakin smiled. "You all know my former padawan. I would like to introduce my wife, Senator Padme Amidala Skywalker." He waited for the talking to stop.

"Pleased I am to see you, Senator Amidala," Master Yoda said, ignoring her married name.

Yoda spoke, casting judgment on Anakin. "'Attachment leads to jealousy. The shadow of greed that is."

Anakin waited for Padme to reach the center and he pulled her to him placing his arms around her. "No. You are wrong, Master Yoda," he said with as much respect as he could muster, "You are all wrong. Love does not lead to the Dark Side. Love is what may save me from the Dark Side. When I was on Tattooine, my mother died in my arms," Anakin's voice broke for a moment and he remembered. "There I tasted the Dark Side, I attacked the Tuskans in a fit of rage," Anakin colored, having Ahoska and Obi-Wan to know of his weakness.

"But to have Padme in my life, she has been my angel, she has saved me from the horrors of this war. When we as Jedi are supposed to be keepers of the peace, we fear the Senate and the galaxy. We fear love, fear, anger, comittement, and attachment and that is not serving the Force," Anakin said, his voice strong, and right as if the Force itself had chosen Anakin to speak through. "Love doesn't lead to the Dark Side, passion can lead to rage and fear...but it can be controlled. In the time I have known and loved Padme I have realised, Passion is not the same thing as love. Controlling your passions while being in love, that's what the Jedi Order should teach. Because love can save you. We believe there is nothing faster than lightspeed, what we fail to realize is no matter how fast light can travel the dark is already there, but the light is more than enough to hold it back. Love, my love," he stated looking at and holding his wife, "is more than enough to keep the darkness at bay."

Master Windu was livid. "Out, young Skywalker! You have ignored and spited everything that the Jedi Order stands for. You have been touched by the Darkness. We cannot abide you within our walls, within our Temple!"

Anakin was shocked, he had only spoke the truth, but on Master Windu's face was anger. Anakin looked at him as knowledge dawned on him. Master Windu's pupils had fallen to the dark side and Master Windu had touched it. "You have touched the dark side?" he asked.

"You are not one of us! Now leave before we have you locked up! We should put you in prison for the crimes you committed on your home planet!" Anakin left, tossing his lightsaber to the floor.

"I apologise for all my short-comings," he said sadly. He left his shoulders proud, his head held high as Padme looked like she wanted to say something. Instead, she squeezed her husband's hanf for support as they left, Ahsoka trailing behind them. "They are truly lost," Anakin to his wife and former padawan. He felt Master Kenobi's presence as he reached the turbo-lift.

"Anakin, I have resigned. Everything you said was true and right."

"Master Windu is right, I did touch the dark side."

There were tears in Obi-Wan's eyes as Obi-Wan placed his hand on Anakin's shoulder. "I have never been prouder of you. You have become a far greater Jedi than I could ever imagine. Where will you go?"

"We will return to my homeworld of Naboo," Padme answered. "But now we must return to our home here. We must inform the press."

"Must we?" Anakin asked supressing a groan.

"Yes. Any secrets that aren't let out can be used against us. It was your idea, Ani."

"Once again my beautiful wife is right."

"Anakin, I too, am leaving the Order. Everything you said was right. It felt as if...the Force was speaking through you. I find no fault in the things you have said. I just can't believe they reacted like that,"Obi-Wan stated shaking his head.

"But Obi-Wan the Order is your life."

"No, I can be a Jedi without serving the Order. Master Qui-Gon believed as you do, that the Jedi were meant to serve the Force not the Order."


	5. Chapter 5

Press Conference

Two standard days later, Padme and Anakin were addressing the press. "You are the Hero of No Fear, what can we expect on the war front?"

Anakin looked away sadly, he would miss being a General of the Old Republic. Perhaps, the Chancellor could talk the Council into allowing him to remain a soldier. "When I left Cato Nomidia, we had the Separatists leaders on the run, I believe with the capture of General Grievous, Count Dooku, and his master Darth Sidious this war we soon come to a close. And I personally will do whatever I can to ensure that happens."

"Do you have any leads on Count Dooku's location, or that of his master?"

"I'm afraid you will have to ask the Jedi Order, of which I am not longer part of." There was a collective sigh.

"So that would make you the lost Twenty-first."

"Yes."

"Why have you left the Order?" another one asked.

"Because I found something more important to me than the Jedi, I found love," Anakin said allowing his voice to soften as he reached for Padme's hand and squeezed it as he looked into her eyes.

"Senator Amidala, how do you feel about General Skywalker's decision to leave the Order?" a reported pounced on Padme.

"I know that until now I have gone by my regal name of Amidala, but as of today I wish to be addressed as my married name, Senator Skywalker. As for how I feel about my husband's decision, I support him."

"What of the Jedi?" a reported asked as Chancellor Palpatine ushered them away.

"The Jedi are heroes of the Republic, it is a mere difference of opinion that separates our very own Tan Skywalker, The Hero of No Fear, The Chosen One, The Hero of the Republic, General Anakin Skywalker from the rest of his Jedi family. Love is the most honest and human of emotions and it appears we have our very own super couple in Anakin and Senator Padme Amidala Skywalker." The crowd broke into applause. "Come with me my boy, Padme, we have much to discuss about your future sand the future of the Republic. I do wish you had invited me to the wedding, this is just the sort of thing to give hope to our cause. Please, allow me to throw you another wedding now that the secret's out."

"Chancellor, that's really not necessary," Padme told him.

"Nonsense, I insist. Please, Padme, as your Senator while you were Queen do it for me."

Padme smiled, "How can we refuse when you put it that way. On one condition, we discuss the funding for the Military Creation Act." Palpatine's smile seemed to freeze on his face before it smoothed over.

"Of course, my dear."


	6. Chancellor

Chancellor Palpatine

Anakin Skywalker and his wife Padme were ushered into the Chancellor's office, with the Red Guards flanking them until they were in his office.

"A mere precaution, my dear," he told Padme, "In these troubled times one can never be too careful." He said before turning his gaze onto the happy couple. "In seems congratulations are in Order."

"Thank you, Chancellor," Anakin said, bowing his head in a show of respect as Padme held his hand and faced the Chancellor.

"I hope this will not interfere with my duties as Senator. The Queen..."

"Will allow it, so long as it doesn't put you in any danger. I will hear no arguments, Senator Skywalker," he said, and Anakin beamed as he used her married name, "I will speak to her personally. However, I will request that you take some time off to enjoy your married state."

"Anakin and I have already had a honeymoon," she told him. "The Senate needs me."

"I can make that an Order," he told her. "Please, humor me, the press will be hot on your heels, you need some time to adjust. Your parents, for example, will have caught the feed on Naboo." Padme colored for not having thought of that. They would feel betrayed. "Might I suggest that Representative Binks fill in for you in I meantime?"

"Yes, yes, of course," Padme said, distracted by the thoughts of her family. Palpatine turned to Anakin.

"I wish you had confided in me the truth of your marriage, my boy."

"You have my sincerest apologies, Chancellor, however, I couldn't tell you for the obvious reasons."

"You have become so much more to me than a friend. I think of you as the child I might have had, had my wife lived."

"You had a wife, Your Excellency?"

"Yes," he said, his voice trailing off. "She was a politician, she died tragically caught between a war between the Jedi and their enemies. Not that I blame the Jedi of course. It truly was a tragedy. I would do anything to prevent that from happening to another." Anakin took it in with a frown, as he wrapped his arms a little tighter around his wife.

"You padawan for instance," the Chancellor continued. "what tragedy could have come from that, except you were there. I am convinced that the Jedi no longer can lead themselves. If they abandon your padawan without even a proper investigation. However, I am currently working on a bill that if it passes will ensure that that can never happen again."

"What?" Anakin asked confused.

"I have a position to offer you, my boy. Now that you are free of the Jedi, it is my wish that not only will you remain a General in my army but that the Jedi would report directly to me. However, since I have so many duties already, I would like for them to report to you. You know so much more about such things than I do, being a part of the Jedi."

"But, your Excellency, I am no longer part of the Jedi Order. They will never accept it."

"If the bill passes, they will have no choice. Of course, your padawan and Obi-Wan Kenobi are welcome to aide you, a committee if you will. Please, think about it. You will retain your regiment, that way the only thing that will have changed will be you are no longer bound by the rules of the Jedi."

"I will discuss this at length with my wife," Anakin replied, noticing Padme's distant look. "We should make plans to return to Naboo as soon as possible," he stated, squeezing Padme's hand. "I will discuss this with Ahsoka and Obi-Wan, and you will have their service while I am unavailable. You have my help and the help of every Jedi in the Order."

"I wish that were true."

"I thank you for your guidance," Anakin replied as he began to rise. "I will return as soon as we arrive back on Coruscent," he replied. "The Jedi, are only here to help."

"I hope I can be assured of your discretion?"

"As a Jedi," Anakin replied, "There are limits to my discretion," he replied.

"But you are no longer a Jedi," The Chancellor reminded him gently.

"Still I was a Jedi Knight, and unlike Count Dooku, I intend to uphold the ideals and values of the Jedi Order. Now if you will excuse us we should be getting home," Anakin added, offering his hand for Padme to take. Anakin drew her close as they left, once again assaulted by the press. Palpatine waited until the doors shut behind them. He swore.

This was not at all going as planned. He had expected to find Anakin disillusioned by the Jedi. It was why he had recruited Barriss Offee in the first place. Her job had been to separate Skywalker from his padawan. With his padawan gone, Anakin would slip closer and closer to the Dark Side, distrusting the Jedi and confiding more in him. This inconvenient marriage of his was to remain clouded in secrecy and both were to serve him in drawing Skywalker away from the Jedi and closer to his attachments outside the Order. Sidious looked around at his concealed the Sith artifacts that surrounded him.

He was glad he had found a way to hide his presence behind the vise of Palpatine. He was constantly around Anakin, their appointed Chosen One, and he was never even suspected as being of the Dark Side, much less the leader of the Sith. He had spent over a decade in corrupting their Chosen One, he couldn't lose now. He would find a way to seal his fate and earn a pact from Anakin to serve the Dark Side, he had to. If he couldn't he would have no choice but to kill him, and that he didn't desire. He wished to have the most powerful apprentice ever, to turn their own against the light. What greater revenge was there to use their knowledge against them? He would keep an eye on the Chosen One and see if there was another way to corrupt him. The padawan should have been executed before Skywalker realized her innocence, and Obi-Wan wasn't supposed to leave the Order. He would have to adapt his plans and figure out how to turn Skywalker from his friends.


	7. Chapter 7

Obi-Wan Kenobi

Obi-Wan was glad, even grateful that Padme and Anakin had given him another room at her apartment. He was glad, grateful even that they had given him a room to stay in. It was awkward though, staying with his former padawan, his wife, and his padawan's former padawan. He knew that he was following the will of the Force, that he had made the right choice, but that didn't stop him from feeling so useless.

He got up every day and went down to the gym that regular civilians utilized and he and Anakin sparred as always. And as always, they drew a crowd. He had managed to smuggle their lightsabers from the Jedi. Obi-Wan still felt like a Jedi, and he had a feeling deep within that sooner rather than later the Jedi would need them. After their sparring match, Anakin would leave to make plans with his wife, to check on their travel arrangements as Obi-Wan was left to his own devices. Sometimes, he went to Dex's diner alone, sometimes either Ahsoka or Anakin would join him, and on occasion the Senator would join him. Obi-Wan would sometimes meet Master Plo Koon and discuss being a Jedi, but most of the time Obi-Wan and Ahsoka would talk about being a Jedi, and about Anakin.

Then, Obi-Wan noticed after Anakin and Padme's press conference in which Senator Amidala...Senator Skywalker, she had officially taken Anakin's name, they had visited the Chancellor and Anakin had become...moody, gloomy. He was brooding again. Obi-Wan had noticed that trait in his padawan as a teenager, but had thought he had grown out of it. Obi-Wan had approached Anakin, earning a weak smile.

"What is it, Padawan?" Obi-Wan had asked, it was a habit, and one of the ones Obi-Wan teased the younger knight.

"It's just something the Chancellor said," Anakin said, forcing a smile that didn't reach his eyes. Obi-Wan waited, knowing that Anakin would continue if he didn't pressure him. "He said that he had a wife and that she had died during a dispute with the Jedi. Padme said that she hadn't ever heard of him being married."

"Neither have I," Obi-Wan told his young friend. "Are you worried for Padme?" Obi-Wan asked wisely. "Anakin, the Jedi will not come after you. That's not the Jedi way."

"But they've fallen so far off path. The Chancellor says that he's passing a bill that will give him control over the Council," Anakin confided. "So that what nearly happened to Snips won't happen again. He wants to put me in charge," Anakin revealed in a questioning tone.

"Honestly, I know you value your friendship with the Chancellor."

"And yours as well," Anakin defended. Obi-Wan smiled and put his hand on the younger man's shoulder as he offered comfort the only way he knew how.

"But Jedi stay out of political matters as much as possible. I hate to think he's grooming you to become a politician."

"I love Padme, but that's one job I don't want," Anakin laughed hollowly, and Obi-Wan didn't like the dead look that had appeared in his eyes. Was the Chancellor responsible? "I don't envy her the bureaucracy and the attempt to make the people happy. It just seems as if they should be made to be happy." Obi-Wan's eyebrows shot up as he stroked his beard.

"Anakin," he said gently, "If the Jedi had ordered you to give up Padme and to be happy about it, could you?" Anakin's eyes flashed for a moment, and Obi-Wan was glad the hollowness had disappeared, and suddenly, the anger smoothed out.

"No. I don't know if I can live without Padme."

"Let's hope you will never find out. Happiness and peace go hand and hand. Fear which is what is accomplished by making someone do something, and experience that you should know first hand can never breed happiness." Anakin smiled, and his smile could ignite stars.

"I understand," he said. "Thank you, Master, for being here, for listening to me. The Chancellor wants us to form a committee to keep the Jedi in line, but all I want to do is be a soldier now. I miss my men, my regiment. What does this mean for my destiny now?"

"I don't know. Turn him down, Anakin, do what makes you happy. Go to Naboo and deal with Padme's family. When you come back the answers will be waiting for you." Anakin smiled and went off to find Padme. Obi-Wan frowned, his presence had lightened, after their talk and the Force was telling him that this was why he was here and not with the Jedi. His job was to be the guardian for the Chosen One, to protect his light, to prevent the darkness from claiming him. Indeed, when Anakin returned from Naboo he would have a talk with Anakin about what had happened with his mother's death. It was time to force Anakin to face his inner darkness and to overcome it, as they all had to.


	8. Naboo

Naboo

Anakin and Padme, along with their trusty droids Artoo and Three-pio headed toward Naboo as soon as they could get away. Although no longer a Jedi, Anakin still dressed as one. It had become second nature after so many years and thanks to Obi-Wan he still retained his lightsaber. Even if he hadn't he would have made another one. He might not be a Jedi of the Order but he was a Jedi in every way that counted except the galaxy now knew he was married to Padme. He feared that his enemies may come after her, but he would worry about that later.

Padme had contacted the Queen to inform her of their plans to return to Naboo but hadn't been sure what to say to her family as of yet. They had decided together than on their week retreat, they would spend the first couple of days together and then see her family. She had one of her handmaidens pretending to be Senator Amidala for security measures, but wondered if her husband had been followed, she would have to get decoys for him as well. She sighed as her husband guided her Nubian cruiser to Valykino, and squeezed his hand from her position as copilot.

"Home, Sweet, Home," her husband said with a nervous smile. He too, was nervous about meeting her family, not as her Jedi protector, but as her husband. Anakin loved her family, she knew it. He was especially kind to her mother and her nieces. One day, she knew, he would make a wonderful father. He loved being part of a family, it was why he was the only Jedi, the only man, and she could ever love. There was no other like her love. He truly was everything she had ever imagined. All these thoughts went through her head as Three-pio picked up a few of her bags and Anakin reached for her hand, while using the Force to levitate her remaining bags off of the cruiser. She accepted his hand and leaned into him, aware that they no longer had to hide. She returned his smile. "Padme, my Force powers are considerable but if you packed anything else, even I would have trouble," he added, with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Are you teasing me?" she asked.

"Oh no," he said, in mock seriousness, "I would be much too afraid to tease my wife," he said, and the moment he said it, her lips had found his and she was lost to the passion that always erupted between them. She heard her bags drop to the ground with a loud thud, and Three-pio's worried voice.

"Master Ani, Mistress Padme," and reluctantly they broke apart. "I'm afraid that I cannot carry all these bags. I'm just so helpless." Artoo beeped and Anakin laughed.

"That's right, Artoo, there's always a way. We've been in tighter spots than this," Anakin patted Artoo on the head and Artoo beeped again, earning a chuckle from him. Anakin waved a hand and the bags began to levitate again as Padme and Anakin looked around their home. Anakin let the bags drop once they were inside, and Three-pio saw to putting their things away.

"Anakin, about Palpatine…" she started and the jovial mood that had surrounded them evaporated. "I've never heard anything about a wife, and he was from Naboo."

"He's the Chancellor, to investigate is treason," Anakin began. "My loyalties lie with you and the Republic, and with Ahsoka and Obi-Wan. My faith in the Jedi has been shaken."

"I understand why your faith has been shaken, Ani," Padme began, watching the change in her husband. Then, he sighed.

"I suppose if we were just finding out information, it couldn't hurt. Perhaps, we could find out something that would be useful to the Chancellor."

"Are you worried about what he said putting you in charge of the Jedi?" she asked, with a frown, she hadn't heard that, her thoughts had been on her family.

"Yes. It's not what I want. It's not what I've ever wanted. Yes, I wanted to become a Master, to sit on the Council with Obi-Wan, to be appointed not assigned. If they accept us, I want it to be because they want me there not because of….some law that forces them to. It wouldn't make any one happy, not us and not the Jedi. They shouldn't be made to," Anakin recalled Padme's words. "Is the Chancellor….becoming a dictator?" he asked, looking into Padme's eyes. She knew so much more about politics than she did. She averted her eyes, guiltily for a moment, wondering how much she could share. "Padme?" he asked her.

"Anakin, there is much less deliberating than there once was. Little by little the Senate's voice is being silenced. Chancellor Palpatine has been lobbying for more and more executive powers. I fear where this will lead us. While you are off fighting in the war, I have a battle of my own. A battle to keep democracy intact in this every changing galaxy, it seems that the basic principles of democracy must be sacrificed to end this war, that causes races to be enslaved or exterminated. I am but one voice, Anakin, but there are others. Many of the Senators fear the Chancellor."

"But he was your Senator while you were Queen?" Anakin replied, doubt clouding his thoughts. "He befriended me when I was young." Padme frowned, her analytical mind working overtime. This was the most honest she and her husband had ever been with each other. There had never been time before, and now time stretched before them endlessly.

"Why did he befriend you? You were just a child, not that you aren't very special, Anakin, but it makes no sense for the Chancellor of the Republic to be your friend. You were supposed to be training to be a Jedi, to have no contact outside the Order that would conflict with your training," Padme added, finally letting on something that had bothered her for quite some time.

"We were friends," Anakin replied, somewhat defensively. "Did the Jedi arrange a meeting for you with the Chancellor?" Anakin colored slightly, and she knew she was right.

"Anakin, there is something off about the Chancellor, and if you don't believe that, at least trust in me and my judgement."

"I do, Padme. I love you, I trust you with my life."

"Be careful around him, Promise me."

"The Jedi trust him, why shouldn't I?" Anakin asked, in a soft, confused voice.

"Trust me, Ani," she repeated. "Something isn't right with him. It's devious and manipulative, and I will find out what."

"Then, I am at your service, milady," Anakin replied, pulling her onto the couch and snuggling up with his wife.


	9. Chapter 9

Meetings

Obi-Wan and Ahsoka were sitting at Anakin and Padme's apartment when they saw the Holo-Net. 'Jedi General Anakin Skywalker weds Senator from Naboo.' Obi-Wan frowned, they were still referring to Anakin as a Jedi, how would the Council react to that? It was like calling Count Dooku a Jedi; Obi-Wan stifled a snort at the thought as he wondered of their place in the galaxy. He, Anakin, and Ahsoka weren't Jedi and they weren't civilians so where did that lead them. Obi-Wan heard a beep, and opened up his Jedi beacon, something that he now realized he had forgot to return. "Kenobi, it's Master Windu," he heard and reluctantly he looked at the projection of Mace Windu. "We need to speak with you, it concerns Skywalker."

"Ahsoka, I will return presently."

"And the Chancellor wishes to speak with Tano."

"Of course, Master Windu," both former Master and Padawan replied.

"Well, little one, it seems that life will never be boring. We had better see what this one is about. Do you know where the Chancellor's office is?" Obi-Wan asked Ahsoka. She nodded.

"May the Force be with you, Obi-Wan," she replied with a slight bow.

"And with you, as well, young one," Obi-Wan replied, as they headed in their separate directions.

Chancellor Cos Palpatine, behind which hid Darth Sidious, was delving into the Dark Side of the Force. Senator Amidala and that pesky Jedi brat could ruin his plans. He could see the possibility of many different futures. Why couldn't the pesky brat had just simply left the Order, or been executed, what hold did she have over Skywalker? He wanted the Jedi's precious Chosen One as he pet, as his protgee and if it wasn't for that pesky brat he would have him. She could ruin all his plans. All his carefully laid plans.

It was why he sought her out, to find out where the strength in her relationship with Skywalker lay. He had acted contrary to the Jedi while they ignored Skywalker's relationship with Amidala, he opening embraced it, and he was as of now preparing them a real wedding, even though the thought sickened him. He had to be his friend, he had to have Skywalker's trust and any other action would not see him have it. So Sidious had swallowed his distaste and ordered the very best, the media coverage, the most expensive, and the most extravagant, whatever it took to secure Skywalker as his apprentice. He knew Skywalker's trust in the Jedi had been shaken, yet his trust in his padawan and former master was stronger than ever, and his bond with the pesky Senator from Naboo was growing stronger. He had to separate Skywalker from his allies, or his plans would come crashing down upon him.

The Chancellor returned to his chair, as his Red Guards moved to escort the former padawan inside. He made sure the mask of Palpatine was in place as she entered, looking nervous.

"You wanted to see me, Chancellor?" she asked.

"Yes, yes of course. You are Anakin's padawan are you not?"

"I was," she said, eying him and the room suspiciously.

"Come now, there's no room for nervousness between old friends," he said, with a generous smile. "I was so upset when I heard about the bombing at the Temple; I instantly knew that you were not at fault. How could a pupil of Anakin's be anything but loyal to my Republic? I find it a pity that the Jedi did not appreciate your talents, that they lacked confidence in you….Ahsoka, may I call you Ahsoka. I feel as if I know you; Anakin has spoken highly of you."

"Thank you, Chancellor, but I don't see what it is I can do for you."

The Chancellor of the Republic sighed, "I am losing faith in the Jedi's ability to end this war, this conflict that has put so many systems in danger. You have seen it throughout your travels, the distrust of the Republic, and of the Jedi. I wish only for you to follow your own conscience, my dear. If you ever believe Anakin is in any personal or political danger, you will come to me?"

"Of course, within limits, your Excellency," she replied, squirming in her seat a little bit.

"I realize you are still quite young and do not understand the ramifications of such things, but it is my wish that you watch over him and his wife. I fear Senator Amidala has made some fearsome allies. Allies that do not uphold the principles of the Republic."

"I assure you, Chancellor; Senator Amidala is only trying to end this war. She upholds the beliefs and ethics of the Republic."

"And she is still friends with the Separatists. I would hate for them to turn on her. You must tell me if she is putting herself in danger. If there has ever been a time that she did anything that would be against the Republic. You know as I do, that Anakin would risk life and limb to see her protected. I would hate for such a promising Senator and Jedi to meet their untimely end because of unethical acquaintances. We must end this war; you will help me, Ahsoka." Ahsoka bit her lip and looked nervously at the Chancellor.

Meanwhile, Obi-Wan were having a similar meeting with the Jedi Council.

"Master Obi-Wan, will you rejoin the Jedi? This will be your last chance." Obi-Wan had always been a Jedi, it was all he knew, yet he knew his former Padawan was following the will of the Force.

"I, like Anakin, do not need the Jedi Order to be a Jedi."

"I see," replied Mace Windu. "Perhaps, we could come to an alternate arrangement."

"Skywalker must cease to refer to himself as a Jedi."

"Anakin has not done that," Obi-Wan replied. "It is the press, yes, he has become the face of the Jedi, at least in the press's eyes, but Anakin is only leading his life as the Force dictates.

"You approve of his relationship with Senator Amidala," added another Jedi.

"I do, although the issue is not whether or not I approve, but the Force approves."

"Think you know the Force better than this Council, hmmm?"

"I know Anakin better than this Council. I know that I have made mistakes with him, as has this Council, but I know that Anakin is a shining example of a Jedi Knight, and one day he will make a fine Jedi Master, with or without the Order. It is not this Order that makes one a Jedi Knight, but what's in here, and it here," Obi-Wan replied pointed to his head and his heart. "To forbid love to a Jedi is wrong. Every Padawan and Master has a bond that is forged through friendship, and sealed with love. Every Jedi has an attachment. Anakin was right; attachment and love is not the same thing. How many Jedi have we lost to the Dark Side during this war, when allowing attachments might have made all the difference? How many Jedi have had a meditative retreat only to come back finding a youngling that was strong in the Force? What about Anakin's very own Padawan?" Obi-Wan asked, taking a deep breath. "During the Sith Wars, the Sith lost because they didn't have the ability to adapt, have we as Jedi, lost that ability as well, it was their downfall, don't let it be ours?" Obi-Wan looked around, but their faces were unchanged.

"Think about what you and Skywalker have said, we will."

"I'm going to get a drink," Obi-Wan stated and headed to the cantina, where he saw some of his favorite Clone Troopers. "Hey Cody," he said with a smile. "I had forgotten you were still on Coruscent."

"Yes, we're still on leave. Ordered to rest and relaxation. Is the 501st still here?" Obi-Wan asked his friend.

"Yes, the 501st and the 212nd, along with some newbie's. We've been waiting the order of you and General Skywalker."

"Then you may be reassigned."

"Sir?" Cody asked, as he motioned for Rex and Fives to join him. "It's about him and General Skywalker," Cody told Rex and Fives.

"Is Commander Tano okay?" Rex asked.

"Ahsoka is fine. Anakin was able to root out the true villain in the plot against Ahsoka. Still, we left the Order."

"You are no longer a Jedi?" Fives asked.

"It's really a matter of your own point of view. I don't really feel any different. However, you can think of me as any other member of the crew, except I carry a lightsaber and can use the Force," Obi-Wan stated, with slight humor. Boil, Jesse, and Tup joined the group.

"Is it true that General Skywalker is married?" Tup asked.

"Yes, it's true," Obi-Wan replied. "So men, how about a drink? I'm buying," Obi-Wan added, as he thought about what good men the Clones were. They were all brothers much like the Jedi had been his family. Only time would tell of what would become of the Jedi and their Clone Warriors.


	10. Naberrie Family

Naberrie Family

Two days later, Padme and Anakin Skywalker were strolling toward the small mountain village that the Naberrie family resided in, hand and hand. Behind them they could hear Artoo and Three-pio arguing. "Don't be nervous," Anakin told his wife, "They are good people," he admolished her.

"I know, it's just Anakin. I….we've been lying to them for over two years."

"Out of necessity, Padme. They will understand. Have faith, my love," he replied, stopping meters from the house so that he could look into Padme's eyes. "I love you, with everything I possess, once they realize it they will understand," he replied as he lowered his lips to briefly cover hers. "It's better that we get this over with. I know you are nervous, so am I. What will they think of you marrying a younger man?" he teased.

"Oh Ani," she melted, and squeezed his hand again. Anakin and Padme allowed Three-pio to announce them.

"Master Ani and Mistress Padme here to see you," he said, and Padme watched as her nieces came flying outside to see them. Pooja and Ryoo Naberrie. Ryoo came flying into her own arms, nearly bowling her over, and Pooja threw herself at her husband.

"Uncle Ani," she said, looking into his eyes adoringly. He balanced her neice on his hip and stroked her dark brown hair.

"You've grown into a great beauty, Pooja," he said to her. "You look more and more like your aunt every time I see you. Of course, I didn't meet her until she was fourteen but I have no doubt that you will grow into a beautiful and shrewd politican," he praised her.

"Really, Uncle Anakin?"

"Of course, I'm a Jedi, don't tell me you doubt me?" he asked, placing her on her feet and pretending to be wounded.

"Jedi lie," Padme heard her sister's voice. "And so do politicians." The light that had surrounded her husband fell off of him in waves.

"Hello again, Sola," he said to her, "You have beautiful daughters. You should be proud."

"We are," she replied, her voice icily. "And I don't need you filling my daughter's heads with silly fantasies."

"Sola," Padme began. "Anakin is only telling the truth. There is no need to be mean to him. Let's take this inside," she replied, and her sister stepped back, allowing Anakin and Padme into her parent's home.

"We saw the news feed. We know what you have come to tell us, son," Ruwee said to the young Jedi. "I doubt there is anything we can say that would change your minds now." Anakin smiled at him.

"No, sir. Know that no harm will ever come to your daughter as long as I live, you have my word. I love your daughter more than my own life. I would never see harm come to her."

"You are a Jedi. You are the Jedi protector we met before."

"Yes, sir."

"I should be angry about the secrecy, about the lies, but I can see that my daughter is happy. All I want is my daughter's happiness. Some day, Anakin, when you have your own children, you will understand."

"Yes, I'm sure I will."

"You aren't pregnant, are you, Padme?" Sola asked her sister. "That isn't the reason you have come out is it?"

"Sola!" Padme's mother exclaimed.

"Well, we have a right to know, if this Jedi is to become part of our family. Darred, please take the children to the nursery," she added, watching as he did as told.

"Apparently, he's learned that arguing with a Naberrie is pointless," Anakin remarked.

"Who are your parents?"

Anakin frowned as he sat down at the kitchen table that Padme's parents and sister were already sitting at. He got up and held out a chair for Padme and then returned to his seat. Idly, he levitated the spice shaker, something he sometimes did while being frustrated. "My mother….was murdered three years ago on Tattooine," Anakin's eyes flashed with the memory. Padme's mother covered his hand with her own.

"I'm so sorry, I hadn't heard."

Anakin laughed bitterly, "You wouldn't have. My mother was married to a moisture farmer on Tattooine. When I was small we moved to Tattooine along with others. My mother and I we….were slaves." Even Sola was speechless.

"Anakin saved Naboo from the Trade Federation, with no training at all, he flew his ship into the Control Center and took out the droid army."

"And your father?" Sola continued.

"I have no father."

"You mean he didn't stick around."

"No, I mean my 'father' is the Force. I simply was. There is no explanation for my birth. I am the child of the Force."

"They call Anakin the Hero with No Fear," Padme stated. "He's a Jedi Knight, or he was. It's why we had to keep our relationship secret," Padme explained.

"So what's different now?"

"I left the Jedi Order," Anakin replied. "The Jedi's ideals have become perverse, and corrupted, the Force believes there is a better way to serve it, and I have followed the will of the Force."

"I don't pretend to understand most of this, Anakin," Padme's father said, "But you have my blessing and your mother's. I would like to welcome you to the family. I would like to hold a celebration in your honor and that of my daughter's."

"I would be pleased, sir."

"Dad, Anakin, please call me Dad, we are family now." Anakin smiled, he really did have a family.

"How will you support Padme?" Sola asked.

"I am a General of the Republic, I may not be a Jedi anymore, but I am still a soldier of the Republic. The 501st are my men. Along with Ahsoka we will be returning to the war in a few weeks. My leave was ordered by the Chancellor. He will be planning a renewal of our vows, and we would like to personally invite you."

"We will be there, son. Wouldn't miss it for the world. Padme's father stood up as did Anakin. "Welcome to the family, Anakin Skywalker," he said and he hugged Anakin. Anakin's eyes filled with tears, tears he was having trouble blinking away.

"I have never been a proper Jedi," Anakin said, as his voice cracked.

"There's no shame in a few tears, son."

"I know, I just lack….Jedi reserve. I've struggled with it since I entered the Order," Anakin explained. "Master Obi-Wan says I wear my feelings on my sleeve," Padme's father just hugged the youth, until he was able to get his emotions under control.

"We are staying at the Lake House."

"That's a fine home. Have you thought about children?" Anakin took a step away and allowed Padme's father to lead him into his study.

"No, we were trying to keep it a secret before, and now, I wouldn't want my enemies to come after Padme or the children. General Grevious and Count Dooku are still at large, as well as Count Dooku's master. It's another reason we wanted to keep our relationship secret, si….Dad," Anakin corrected himself. "Until this war ends I don't know."

"Children, Anakin, come when you least expect it. And they are one of life's greatest treasures. When Sola was born I didn't think life could get any better, and when Padme was born, I knew my life was complete. Children are self-renewing, they give us hope in the future. What do the Jedi think of your marriage?"

"It's against the Code, it's why I'm no longer a Jedi, they don't believe in love, or in attachments," Anakin replied.

"Anakin, son, if you ever need anyone to talk to, please don't hesitate to come to me. Even if I don't understand the ways of the Force, I do have experience as a husband and a father."

"Thanks, Dad," Anakin replied. "We will return tomorrow." Anakin replied as he went to collect his wife. He felt lighter than he had in a long time. Even if he had lost his mother, he had gained a family that he had never dreamed possible. Now all he had to do was win over Padme's sister.


	11. Chapter 11

Returning to Battle

The week Anakin and Padme had spent with Padme's family had solified him as her husband, with only her sister still harboring resentment toward the Skywalker couple although her father had asked her if she would keep the Naberrie's royal name or take on her husband's. She explained that she wanted to be Anakin's wife in every sense, and that his exploits were far better known, any child they had together would be a Skywalker. Anakin was getting along famously with her father, it saddened her to know that her husband had never known a father, except for Obi-Wan; he had been quick to tell her family that Obi-Wan had always been like a father to him, and to speak of his and Ahsoka's accomplishments. They wanted to meet his former master and apprentice and he had promised he would bring them the next time he was on leave. Anakin seemed much more relaxed than she had seen him since the war. Anakin's eyes twinkled as he parked her Nubian cruiser and he placed his hands around her waist.

"In a sense, my love, this is like coming home the first time," he lifted her into his arms, bridal style, as his lips met hers time and time again. "Our love is something to be celebrated not hidden in the shadows." Anakin pressed his human thumb to the keypad and the door opened. Anakin's mood soured as he felt the worry and tension coming from Ahsoka and Obi-Wan. Padme slid to the floor and went into their bedroom to change.

"What's going on?" Anakin asked, "You didn't fight like naughty children while I was gone?" he asked shaking a parental finger at them.

"How was your trip, Padawan?" Obi-Wan asked him, "Did you find the answer you were seeking?"

"Yes, you were right. It's enough for me to just be a General to the 501st and the Chancellor had approved my request."

"Then we must return soon."

"Of course, Obi-Wan. Are the 501st and the 212nd ready to go?"

"Of course, they've been on Coruscent since….the incident," Obi-Wan continued, delicately referring to Ahsoka's trial.

"Where to this time?" Anakin asked as he motioned for Obi-Wan and Ahsoka to follow him while he packed.

"Trandosha. It is believed that Count Dooku and the Seperatists leaders are located there." Anakin nodded, as he packed his armor and extra Jedi robes, tunics, and garb. He added in a few holo-pictures of his time on Naboo with his wife and her family, and one of his mother.

"Then we can bring an end to this war."

"I have to tell you Anakin, that the Jedi have indeed fallen off path. I fear for them, and I fear for the future."

"The Force will guide us, Obi-Wan, we have but to listen to its voice." Obi-Wan had previously returned Ahsoka's weapons and they too picked up their bags. Anakin looked back at Padme. "I'll meet you at the landing pad," he told them as he launched himself into his beloved arms.

"I thought this would be over."

"It's never over, as long as there are good people to fight for it. You could…come with me now?" Anakin asked her.

"There is a battle I must fight here," she added, tears streaking down her face, as her lips found his again and again. "I hate it when you leave, even though I know you have to," she blew her nose. "Besides, I have our wedding to plan, our vows to renew, don't think this means you're a single man," she teased.

"Same goes to you, my angel. I meant what I told your father," Anakin added.

"I know. Please, come back to me, my love."

"I will," Anakin said drawing her tighter into his arms. "I have someone to come home to. Have faith."

"Anakin, may the Force be with you," she said and he used the Force to carry him away from her.

Anakin Skywalker, the Hero with No Fear, Former Jedi Knight, General of the Republic looked at his men. They were all standing facing Ahsoka with many of their helmets off. Anakin smiled jovially before retaining his military bearing. "Men, I have a confession to make. This in no way will affect our ability to complete our missions. I am still your General, I am proud to be your General." Anakin addressed his Padawan. "Ahsoka, take Artoo and plot our course," he added to her. She smirked and went to carry out his orders. He looked out at his men, and he saw them, each of the clones of Jango Fett, and they all had their own distinctions, just like anyone else. He didn't see Jango when he looked at them, he saw his men. Men that trusted him with their lives, and men that he trusted with his. There was his first in command, Captain Rex, who at the moment had his brown hair dyed blue. Fives had a five tattooed or branded on the upper right of his men. He was his number two, of course that was after Rex and Ahsoka. He saw Kix, Jesse, and Tup, and he smiled at their familiar faces, he had missed them. Anakin prided himself on having an open relationship with his men, whenever they bled he was sure to bleed as well. He knew all his men by name.

"Captain Rex, who are the new recruits?" he asked, noticing the newbies.

"This is Jaq and Brody."

"Welcome to the 501st. I am General Anakin Skywalker, but just Skywalker or General is fine," he added. "Before I have Captain Rex show you around, I have a confession to make. I have left the Jedi Order. I was forced to chose between serving the Jedi and serving my wife and apprentice. I chose the later. It wasn't a choice for me. I had to follow my heart, and my conscious. After the first battle of Genosis, which some of you may remember because as a Padawan I was reckless enough to endanger the life of Senator Amidala, to save General Obi-Wan Kenobi, I married Senator Amidala, effectively making her Senator Skywalker." His men nodded thoughtfully.

"Is Senator Skywalker joining us?"

"Not this time, Jesse," Anakin replied. "Now that that's done, the mission is to head to Trandosha and recover the Seperatists leaders and Count Dooku. Do not engage, Count Dooku. We have unfinished business. You are dismissed," Anakin added, heading toward the cockpit.


	12. Revelations and Plans

Revelations and Plans

Senator Amidala Skywalker, Padme Skywalker, had been bombarded by the press from the moment she had arrived at her office. She had stationed Three-pio to take statements, so that she could concentrate on the bill to reinstate some of Palpatine's executive powers to the Senate. She sighed, and wondered if it would pass. She felt dizzy and weak, but she persevered. Anakin had only been gone a few weeks, and not only was she deep into the preparation for this bill; she was working with Palpatine to plan her wedding. He seemed to think the Galaxy needed a reason to celebrate and she wasn't wrong. "Don't tell me, Padme that you are working with the Chancellor?" Bail asked. She put down the bill and smiled up at him.

"It's good to see you, Bail," she said rising to her feet and greeting him in a hug.

"I know that the Chancellor seems to put a lot of faith in your husband's abilities," he continued.

"Anakin is not political, Bail," she defended him.

"I still can't believe you've been married and you didn't tell me. Are you happy?" he asked her concerned.

"When I'm with Anakin I am however, all the waiting the wars, it's certainly nerve-wracking," she replied with a laugh.

"So he's no longer a Jedi."

"No, he's not. Oh, he is in every way that counts," she replied. "But he doesn't belong to the Order any longer."

"The Senate is to vote on the fate of Barriss Offee," Bail continued.

"When?"

"In Twenty minutes."

"Why wasn't I informed?" Padme asked as she rushed to the Senate building and promptly passed out. She didn't understand why she had felt so dizzy. She was rushed to a medic. "I'm okay," she muttered trying to sit up. "I've just been a little dizzy."

"Padme, please, see a medic."

"You have to vote, Bail. Don't let Barriss…get away," she struggled to say as darkness overtook her again.

Several hours later, she sat with a medical droid, as an update to her medical record was made. She stared at the print-out in shock. What would Anakin say? What would they do?

The Chancellor was pleased that Barriss Offee would return to active duty as a Jedi. It would make it all the easier for her to continue to serve him and to lure Skywalker to darkness. The presence of the Jedi Knight would create frustration with the Jedi and hopefully drive a wedge between Skywalker and the Jedi brat. He felt a pulse of light and frowned. He could see the future conflicting. He had to do whatever was possible to sever the relationships of the Chosen One. Even if he had shaken his trust in the Jedi, it did little good with the luckiest Jedi alive and the brat still had his trust. The Jedi brat was meant to be dead! Sidious took a calming breathe, he wasn't the Leader of the Galactic Republic for nothing, able to hide from the Jedi, he interacted with the most powerful masters and the Chosen One and none of them ever suspected he was the Dark Lord they were searching for. The irony of it was his apprentice had all but told them his identity. He would have to discover where that pulse of light had come from. It had just appeared, and it was completely untrained. If he could find it, could he make the light serve him? He delved into the Dark Side, and saw the Chosen One serving him, and yet he saw him destroying him. If he could just get rid of Kenobi and the brat, but there were more complications he was seeing.

Skywalker was developing more attachments, more friends, people he trusted. There was Padme's family, he sneered at the thought. One would have thought getting rid of his mother was enough, but no, Senator Amidala's family was corrupting the Chosen One with light. Could he have Grievous kidnap them, and drive the darkness further? He searched Skywalker's presence, it was lighter than it ever had been, and that was a problem, a big problem indeed. How to force Skywalker to turn his back on the light and give in to the dark was proving most problematic. Palpatine smiled as he admitted Mace Windu to talk about the growing concerns of the Clone Wars.

"You believe that…Knight Skywalker is responsible for the change in the Force?" he asked kindly. "I don't pretend to understand the ways of the Force, Master Jedi, as always I bow to your wisdom. What is it you sense?" he asked, listening to the Master of Darkness, if he wasn't hiding behind Palpatine's mask he would have sneered at the thought. The Darkness was a part of the Jedi Master; you could not touch the darkness and turn your back on it. Perhaps, if the Chosen One wouldn't fall, he should set his sights on the Korun Master.


	13. Chapter 13

Spring the Trap

"Ahsoka, I need to talk with you," Anakin stated, before turning to Rex. "Captain Rex, inform me when General Kenobi reaches the rendezvous," Anakin added to his Clone Captain. He had just received a rather tragic message from the Chancellor, one that didn't sit right with him. How could the Jedi do that? How could the Senate allow it?

"Yes, sir," Captain Rex said. "You heard the General, let's move it." Rex took a team leaving Jesse to overlook the rest of the men, and headed toward the rendezvous point to find General Kenobi. "Trouble usually follows General Kenobi, so be on the lookout."

"Look out for what?" asked Tup, who was relatively new to the 501st, Tup had a teardrop tattoo under one eye that separated him from his many brothers.

"If there's one thing I've learned from General Skywalker is that if there's trouble General Kenobi is usually in the middle of it? Let's men," he added as Tup, Kix and Fives followed him. They always took small groups on recon missions. Rex left Jesse behind, in charge of the rest of the men.

"Yes, Master," Ahsoka asked once they were in Anakin's quarters. Anakin paced back and forth, releasing his emotions into the Force and trying to find his balance.

"You don't have to call me Master anymore, Ahsoka," Anakin added. "Neither you or I belong to that treacherous order anymore," he added.

"Look at us," she told him. "You are still wearing your Jedi uniform; you haven't even put on your armor yet. You carry your lightsaber; you still act like my master."

"Snips," Anakin said, but she held up a hand.

"I can handle whatever you have to tell me," she responded. "I know you are just trying to protect me. I'm glad you believed in me, if it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be alive right now."

"I wouldn't have let them execute you. I'm sorry that you thought I had abandoned you. The Jedi know I'm reckless, as much as I wanted to, I couldn't have demanded to see you in jail."

"I know, Skyguy," she said with a teasing grin.

"The Jedi Council are standing behind Barriss Offee. They have reinstated her as a Jedi, their only punishment was to strip her of her Knight status and to make her a Padawan again," he added bitterly. "They believe she wasn't ready, that she needed more training."

"How did this happen?"

"I don't know, but I will find out," he added, his blue eyes flashing darkly. "I didn't want you to find out from someone else. If Count Dooku was to manage to distract me and find out….we need to become a team in order to capture him, and we don't need any distractions."

"I agree, Master," she added, as she tossed her lightsaber from one hand to the other. It was good to have it back. Anakin heard his comm go off.

"General Skywalker, as usual General Kenobi seemed to have disturbed a nest of clinkers. Will hold them off until you get here."

"Copy that, Rex, let's hope we can find Nute Gunray, and the rest of the Separatists leaders although put them all in one place doesn't really make any sense," Anakin added thoughtfully. "Ready Snips?"

"As always. I'll give you a head start," she replied.

Anakin smiled as he directed Jesse and the rest of his men to follow. "Big mistake," he replied, using the Force to run and top speed as he landed behind Obi-Wan and used a Force repulse to destroy all but a handful of droids. "You looked like you could use some help, Master."

"I was handling it, Anakin," came the terse reply. "I have located Nute Gunray. Unfortunately it appears as if we have landing in the middle of another war," Obi-Wan continued. "The Wookiees and the Trandoshans are fighting over this planet and Kashyyyk, which made it a perfect hiding place. How did the Chancellor know that he was here anyway?" Obi-Wan asked his friend.

"Clone Intelligence, they now report directly to him now," Anakin answered.

"You don't find that the least bit strange," Obi-Wan asked, slashing through another droid.

"I do," Ahsoka answered, coming onto the scene. "He talked to me while you were gone, he seems worried that Padme's going to get you killed," she added. Anakin frowned as he threw his lightsaber in a blue arc taking out the last of the droids.

"Good work, men," Anakin told his men. "So which assignment do you want, Master, the war between the Wookiees or finding Nute Gunray?"

"I have a feeling these missions will be the same," Ahsoka added.

"It feels like a trap, Anakin," Obi-Wan countered. Anakin's lips twitched in a smile.

"Next move, Master?"

"As always, we will spring the trap. Follow me," Anakin nodded to his men to follow and Obi-Wan pointed to a few of his men to join with Anakin's. Cody motioned for the men to follow them as they joined ranks adding the 212nd to the 501st.

"This is a day we have been waiting for," Anakin added. "This is the day we will have justice for our fallen brothers, Jedi and Clone alike. You aren't just fighting for me, Commander Tano, or General Kenobi; you are fighting for the Republic! For your brothers! For Freedom! For the escape of Tyranny!" Anakin added, and the men roared. He smiled, that should inspire them enough, if it didn't he would let Ahsoka talk to them. Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Ahsoka used the Force to sense for Nute Gunray and Count Dooku while the men followed with blasters drawn giving the former Jedi cover. They climbed to the top of the mountain for a better view of the planet. There they would be able to tell the best place for hiding Separatists leaders and tell how the war with the Wookiees was progressing.


	14. Pregnancy

Pregnancy

Padme stared at the piece of paper in her hand, once she got home. She couldn't take her eyes off of it. She was pregnant. How had this happened? She knew how this had happened, and Anakin had only been gone two weeks. Two weeks ago, she and Anakin had been in Naboo, their secret had been out, and everything had been perfect. How would she hide this? The galaxy already knew about her being married to Anakin, could she risk letting them know about her children.

Padme's thoughts turned to the Jedi, what would they do when they found out? She knew they were unhappy with Ahsoka, Obi-Wan and her husband, what would they think of the Chosen One siring a child, her child? What would the Senate think? Why had Chancellor Palpatine insisted they become so public? As if they were the face of the Republic. The Chancellor was troubling her; it was why she hesitated to step down as Senator. How had Barriss Offee gotten off so easily when the Senate had been ready to have Ahsoka executed for Barriss's crimes? Was it the Jedi, the Sith, the Chancellor or the Senate that was responsible for her sentence? Padme didn't know.

The Galaxy was in turmoil and the Jedi believed it was her husband that could put the Force and by extension the Galaxy in balance. She hoped they were right, but what did that say for their little one. If he had followed their Order, their Code then her little one would not exist. And though it was just hours that she had known of her condition, she had no intention of letting anyone get their hands on their child. Hers and Anakin's. She wished he was here with her. Would he be happy? Would he be angry? She should tell her family, but she had to tell Anakin first, he deserved to know before her sister and her parents. She contacted her tailor explaining how she wanted to add my lace and elaborate designs so that she could disguise her pregnancy in the upcoming months. She wondered if it was a boy or girl. She giggled thinking of a little boy like Anakin; she allowed her memories to travel back to where she had first met Anakin on Tattooine when he had been nine. He had been a cute boy; would their son be anything like Anakin had been? She giggled as she remembered his indignation at being called a slave. There was so much to do, but right now she would have to rest. She wished she could have seen the trial of Barriss, she thought as she changed and lay down, forcing herself to remain calm, she and Anakin would give this baby everything.

Meanwhile, Barriss Offee smiled as she stealthy snuck to her master's secret hideout in the 'Works.' She bowed before him. "I have done as you asked, the Jedi are more conflicted than ever, my master. Soon they will be destroyed, as we have planned."

"You have done well," the dark voice responded to her. "You wish to become my apprentice. You wish for the powers I can grant you."

"More than anything," she replied in a voice filled with longing and desire.

"You know of the Chosen One?" the dark voice asked, carefully.

"Of course. He has left the Order, he doesn't concern us anymore. He is of no use to us."

"Foolish mistake, very foolish," the dark voice replied. "Skywalker is everything." Without warning blue electricity shot out and hit the Mirialan Dark Jedi in the chest. Barriss didn't cry out, she didn't flinch, she felt as if she was soaking up the Dark energy, as if she would be able to use this power against the Jedi. She poured her soul into the power that was hitting her as if she could learn it by association. She knew it was a low voltage blast anyway. Without warning Sidious upped the amp and she fell to her knees in submission.

"I live only to serve you, my Master," the Mirialan replied, her voice shaking with desire.

"Tempt Skywalker from his wife. We must sever his alliance to his friends. Break Skywalker and he will belong to the Dark Side. Do whatever you must." Once she had been a healer, one of the best healers in the Order it was part of why she had only been demoted to a mere Padawan. The Order was foolish and would pay for their foolishness, for their short sidedness. She would personally insure their failure, their fall. Barriss eyes gleamed the golden yellow Sithness of her allegiance as the lightning ceased its torture.

"I will do as you command," she replied. Barriss had changed much from the Jedi she had been.

"I will see to it that you join Skywalker and the 501st in hunting for Gunray and Dooku."

"Are they there?"

"Perhaps, perhaps not," the snake told his dark acolyte. "Either way they are walking into a trap. Get rid of the Jedi brat and his master, separate him from the Senator and Skywalker will belong to us. The Dark Side under his grip will leave the galaxy in shambles, leaving it ripe to my manipulations and you shall be by my side."

"Yes, Master. Our victory will not just be against the Jedi but the Galaxy," she licked her lips in anticipation. "I will not fail you."

"Leave me," he commanded, and she bowed once again and did as commanded. Once back at the Jedi Temple, Barriss used what she had learned and projected sadness and guilt into the Force for the Jedi losers to pick up on. She looked into the mirror, and watched as her golden Sith eyes changed back to their normal blue hue, as her skin lightened to its normal olive hue from the yellowness it became when she was immersed in the dark side. She left her Dark Jedi garb on, even as she tore chunks of it off, leaving her seductive feature exposed. She still wore her robe, and left it untouched even as she cut the material away from her breasts and arms, if Sidious wanted her to seduce Skywalker she would do everything in her power, and she smirked, it would be a triumph over Ahsoka as well. She tore a slit on each side of her Jedi garb giving herself the look of a dancer. She knew she would need practice in the art of seduction, so she altered her presence in the Force to appear at the Temple while she went to the Underworld for practice.

Meanwhile, Master Mace Windu, High Authority and Youngest Councilmember, sat in his Chambers monitoring the changes in the Force. He couldn't tell where the changes in the current came from but they 'felt' like Skywalker. Mace was sure that Skywalker was behind them. He was not the boy the prophecy spoke of. Perhaps, the prophecy had been read wrong, after all it was Mace Windu, himself could carry a balance between the dark and the light, it was why he had created Vapaad to answer his inner darkness. What if he, and not Anakin Skywalker, was the Chosen One? What if Skywalker was the Destroyer? The One who would destroy the Jedi? Mace Windu would have to destroy him first; it was his duty as a Jedi to destroy those that would doom the Jedi. If only he was on Coruscent. No matter, he would destroy the Sith and He and not Skywalker would bring balance to the Force. He should speak to the Chancellor at once, it was possible given the relationship between Skywalker and the Chancellor that Skywalker had been manipulating and pulling the strings of the Chancellor for years? He had to warn the Chancellor away from Skywalker, it was the only way to preserve peace and democracy. He took one of the Temple speeders and waited for the Red Guards to announce him.

"Master Windu, to speak to Chancellor Palpatine, it concerns his life, and the safety of the Republic," he explained and waited. A moment later he was shown to the Chancellor.

"Master Jedi, how can I be of service?" The Chancellor asked in a kind voice. "You said something about my life and the safety of the Republic, which I value more than my own life."

"You should have been a Jedi, your Excellency; you have the heart of a Jedi when it comes to democracy, unlike Skywalker."

"This has to do with…Anakin," the Chancellor asked warily.

"Yes, I do apologize about the late hour," the Koran Master began but the Chancellor waved away his words. "Have you considered your relationship with Skywalker?"

"I intend no harm to the boy, if that is your concern," Palpatine said thoughtfully, "He was new to this planet, lonely and missing his mother. I thought to help him."

"Perhaps he took advantage of your kindness. Have you considered the fact that Skywalker has immense Force powers, more powerful, I am ashamed to admit, than some of the Masters of our Order?"

"What are you implying, Master Jedi?"

"I believe that Anakin Skywalker has been manipulating you, that he may be the Sith Lord we were searching for, the one operating at the highest form of government. What higher place would there be than to plant a thought or use the Force to influence **you**, Chancellor?"

"You…believe….that Anakin….is this….Sith Lord?" The Chancellor asked slowly.

"I do. And with your permission, I would like to search for him."

"I'm not sure how things work within the Order but wouldn't you need the Council's permission?" he asked.

"Your Excellency, I believe I can help Master Yoda see things my way."

"Then by all means, destroy the Sith that has been manipulating me. I detest the thought of someone bending my will to suit his own purpose," The Chancellor said with a smile, barely keeping the mask in place. If he hadn't had to keep the mask in place he would have laughed at the irony of the situation. The Koran Master believed that he was manipulating the Chosen One when it was the other way around. Oh, the irony, and the foolishness of the Jedi. They deserved their fate.


	15. Chapter 15

The Duel

Anakin overlooked the mountain, trying to decide where the best place for a Sith Lord to hide would be. Technically, Obi-Wan outranked him, however he had never disapproved his plans before, at least not any of his more brilliant plans, he thought approvingly, and it wasn't like he really listened when Obi-Wan disapproved. "There…Obi-Wan do you see it?" he asked his former master, "The cave it almost feels magnetic," Anakin said, searching for the right word.

"That's as good as a place as any to start, Anakin," Obi-Wan commented dryly, while stroking his beard. "Do you have a plan of attack?"

"I'm working on Plan A," Anakin replied accessing the terrain. "Stealth, at least until we get to there. We'll have to suppress our presence, so that we can ambush the Count."

"Hopefully, this won't turn out like last time," Obi-Wan remarked dryly.

"That was your fault," Anakin replied. "YOU said not to offend them. YOU said to eat and drink what they offered. I was against it from the start. I followed your lead, Master," Anakin replied.

"Quite right, Anakin." Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Ahsoka worked on separating their Clones into two groups. Rex and Cody already worked well together and would be in charge of one of the two groups, while Jesse was in charge of another one, and Jaq was in charge of a larger third group. They had to be prepared for the droid army, General Grievous and Master Obi-Wan's bad luck.

"I'm not that bad," Obi-Wan replied.

"Admit it, Master, you are the common denominator."

"Well, let's see what I can do to make this work for us instead of against us, it's no use to have these gifts if I don't use them," Obi-Wan remarked dryly, following Anakin down the mountain as they kept to the shadows. Anakin entered the cave first, Obi-Wan followed carefully behind him and finally Ahsoka pointed for the positions of the Count.

"I can smell the stench of the Sith," Ahsoka commented. "The Dark Side has this….smell," she commented. She wasn't sure if maybe they just couldn't smell it because they were human and she was a Tortuga. Now that she thought of it she was the only Tortuga in this group, the only non-human. She pushed the thought away as she concentrated in finding the Sith. "This way, Master," she stated, rushing headlong in the direction that the stench came from.

"She's reckless," Anakin commented, dryly.

"So was another Padawan I knew. One I trained."

"And the Force humbled me, I would hope that Ahsoka would learn from my mistakes," Anakin replied as he used the Force to propel himself forward after his unruly Padawan. As Anakin rushed forward he saw the family green hue of his padawan's lightsaber clashing with a red one.

"Count Dooku," he whispered as his phantom hand ached numbly where the mechanical hand now replaced it. In his mind flashed Genosis followed by Tattooine, and then when they had been captured by Hondo, all three of them.

"I was expecting a Master, come now, I'm sure the Order can do better…much better."

Anakin waited and he watched. "I would have thought the same thing about you, Dooku. It's hard for me to believe that you trained a Jedi of the caliber of Master Quo-Gon," Anakin added, his arms folded against his chest.

"Qui-Gon believed as I did that the Jedi Order had become corrupt," Count Dooku continued.

"And that is your excuse?" Anakin asked him. "For all the torture, all the slavery, all the pointless, needless deaths, and abandoning your apprentice." Anakin watched as his Padawan battled the Sith Master.

"The Jedi Order must fall, boy," Count Dooku replied.

"I agree," Anakin said easily. "But that is no excuse for the suffering you have caused. The Force is very unhappy with you," he added, watching as his apprentice gained ground, while the Count lost ground.

"What would you know about the true power of the Force?" the Count replied, using his brutal strength and not the Force to push Ahsoka back.

"The Dark Side had blinded you to the true nature of the Force."

"You are the one that's blinded boy. You want to know the truth about the Force, there is no Dark Side, no light side, it is just the Force," The Count replied.

"Tell us about your master, and I will convince my Padawan to stop toying with you," Anakin added. "I could never abandon my Padawan as you did."

"You don't understand the power of the Dark Side." The Count replied shooting Force lightning at Ahsoka who blocked the powerful attack even if she was struggling, as he upped the wattage in the attack. Anakin nodded and Ahsoka disengaged her lightsaber and ducked, hitting the floor. Before the Count could blink Anakin had replaced Ahsoka, his lightsaber flashing the same blue hue as his eyes.

"The Dark Side brings about chains, the light side freedom. You, Darth Tyrannous, are more a slave than I ever was on Tattooine," he replied with confidence.

"You have power, Skywalker, you have focus, but you do not use them."

Obi-Wan and the Clone troopers had arrived, seeing the clashing of the lightsabers. Anakin swung and leapt as the Count made a slash at his legs. "The Dark Side doesn't impress me," Anakin responded. "Where can we find your master?"

"How do you know I'm not the Sith Master you are looking for?"

"Your bluffing right?" Anakin asked with a laugh, as he feinted a slash to his leg, and slashed at his arm, making contact, if even superficial. "You don't wield the power of a true Master. You, my friend, have fallen off the path the Force has chosen for you."

"We are not friends, Skywalker. Every Jedi is a child that a mother didn't want. Tell me, how did it feel to walk away from your mother, to know that she had given you up because she feared your powers, because she distrusted you? She knew the damage you would one day cause."

"Don't speak of my mother, you don't have that right!" Anakin cried, using the Force to increase the feriousity of his attacks, and suddenly he was barely keeping up, slash, feint, slash. Anakin was gaining ground. He tried another tactic, and used the Force to carry him to the other side of the room. He then used the Force lightning to keep him at arms' length. Anakin carried his lightsaber in front of him, absorbing the energy.

"Please give the good Senator of Naboo my regards," Count Dooku replied as he used the Force to close off his exit. Once outside and away from Skywalker he took a deep breath. "That was too close, way too close, another duel with Skywalker and I might not survive." The color drained from Dooku's face, was this what Sidious had intended. Perhaps the boy was right about a few things. He should make amends with his apprentice.


	16. Plo and Padme

Master Plo and Padme

Padme Amidala Skywalker smiled secretly to herself as she pulled out one of her handmaiden dresses before pulling a cape over her face. No one looking at her would see Padme Amidala Skywalker, there would see Sabe, handmaiden to Senator Amidala Skywalker, she thought with a secret smile, so even if word of her pregnancy reached them they would not connect her to her husband. She wanted to be the one to tell him, not the media. Padme slipped down the streets of Coruscent, smiling contently, a Mona Lisa smile adored her beautiful lips and her eyes sparkled with the untold secret of motherhood.

She slipped into one of her favorite stores and spoke to her dressmaker about 'Mistress Padme Skywalker' and she gave them her credit number to charge to her. She found herself in the back room with all the little baby clothes. She thought of Anakin and their child. She ordered things for the baby's room, duplicates, one for Coruscent and one for Naboo. Padme had no idea where she and Anakin would be by that time. She had to be prepared, though she was still only a few weeks pregnant. She decided that now was as good a time as any to shop for Anakin, but she knew her husband was comfortable is his Jedi garb and she couldn't really see him in anything else. She bought herself a new blaster, just in case. She worried that the Jedi would want her child. How could the child of the Chosen One be anything but strong in the Force she wondered? Would they threaten her? Would they convince Anakin that it was his duty to give their child to the failing Order? Since when had she thought the Order was failing she wondered? She went to shop for more parts for lightsabers and polishing kits. She felt dizziness sweep over her, and would have stumbled if strong hands hadn't caught her.

"Careful, Mrs. Skywalker," she heard, and looked into the face of Master Plo Kloon.

"Excuse me, Master Jedi," she stated. "I am Sabe, a handmaiden to Senator Skywalker," she replied.

"Will you do me the honor of walking with me?" he asked her. She nodded.

"You are the wife of Knight Skywalker," he told her, conviction in his voice. "You have adopted this…disguise to protect Anakin." She nodded.

"I never meant for him to leave the Order or to keep secrets," she attempted to explain, but the Jedi Master waved away her words.

"I know your husband, Madame. He's a great testament to our Order."

"Then why did you throw him out?" Padme asked.

"You misunderstand. We didn't, he chose to leave. If it was up to me, I would ask him back. The abandonment of Skywalker and Kenobi has been a harsh blow to the Jedi Order," Plo Kloon continued. "Though after the treatment of his Padawan, I can hardly blame him. I shouldn't discuss Jedi matters with you my dear, but it has come to my intention that you probably know more than we do. I am very interested in your husband's view of the Force," Master Plo stated, looking at her.

"You would have to speak to Anakin about that, I am not a Jedi," she replied. "I know that he believes the Jedi will end up destroying himself, and he doesn't know if he can do anything to help, to stop it," Padme offered. Plo Kloon nodded thoughtfully.

"The Jedi Order has fallen from its path; your husband was not alone in sensing that fact, although he may sense it more strongly. He believes that we, the Jedi, have failed him, have failed his Padawan. He may not be wrong. Your husband is an excellent pilot. I'm sure he will return to you soon, the Force is changing and I can't help but wonder if that change involves you as well. Many Jedi believe your husband is responsible for the shifts in the Force." Padme held her breathe, she knew what he was referring to. "For too long the Jedi have been clouded by darkness, but there is a new light in the Force, and the Dark Side seems grey instead of the perpetuating darkness. Whenever your husband returns, have him contact me."

"I will, Master Jedi."

"And if you will tell him Congratulations for me on his impending fatherhood. I've always thought that if things were different that he would make a terrific father. Not all the Jedi have abandoned him," he added walking away. Padme stared after him stunned.

Meanwhile, Master Windu was in a discussion with Master Yoda.

"Different the Force feels," Master Yoda said.

"I fear that Skywalker is behind it." Mace Windu added as he watched the diminutive Jedi nod. "We should not have allowed him to escape. Skywalker has much to answer to. He admitted to breaking the Code and with a Senator nonetheless!" Mace exclaimed. "He should be made to answer to his crimes. There are places for Jedi that have lost their way."

"The Citadel you refer," Master Yoda answered.

"He's too dangerous to be out there. Who knows what he's doing now or to whom? I would like permission to search for him and bring him back. He shouldn't be out there being mistaken for a Jedi; we cannot stand for the galaxy to believe that the Jedi are the sum of Skywalker's actions."

"Go for him, you will. Alive, he will return. Bring him back, you will," Master Yoda stated. "Meditate, I must."

"Of course, that is my intention, Master Yoda. That he should be stripped of all remnants of the Jedi. I will be off then," Master Windu stated, watching as the Jedi walked away leaning on his gimer stick. He now had the permission he sought. No time like the present to track down Skywalker and his team. All he had to do was find out where the 501st was and that would lead him to Skywalker. He headed to the Archives to pull up the information, licking his lips in anticipation He called Temple security to ready the prison cells and his starfighter, he was on a mission.

In the office of the Supreme Chancellor of the Republic, Darth Sidious could feel Master Windu's descent to the darkness. He still believed he was doing the right thing, he thought ironically, this would be his fall. The Koran master's love for the Republic, his arrogance at believing he had defeated the dark side, would be his downfall. Whether he won or loss against Skywalker was insignificant to him, as were their lives. This would serve dual-purposes if Skywalker loss then he wasn't fit to be his apprentice and he would slowly guide the Jedi Master down that path of darkness, if Skywalker won then he would double his efforts to turn their Chosen One. If Windu didn't kill or capture Skywalker then Barriss would be sent in to put their plan into action. Life was sure going to get interesting for Skywalker. Yes, he would live to regret attempting to ruin his plans. He was supposed to keep his relationships a secret. Hopefully, Windu would destroy that Jedi brat and free Anakin from his new openness toward sentinents.


	17. Trapped!

Trapped!

"That was some show, Anakin," Obi-Wan dryly commented, even though he was proud of his Padawan. He had never saw Anakin fight better, be so attuned with the light, he hadn't used anger until his mother had been mentioned, and even then he didn't allow it to distract him, and he hadn't touched the darkness. "Unfortunately, we are now trapped."

"Snips, are you alright?" Anakin asked reaching out with his human hand for Ahsoka's arm. "It appears, superficial," he added, searching for any fractures or bruises. "You were reckless, young one. Kix, take care of Ahsoka," Anakin ordered, and Kix nodded moving forward.

"Let me take a look at that, Commander Tano," Kix said leading her away from the group. Or at least that was his intention, his eyebrows shot up when Captain Rex followed him.

"Commander, you were very brave," Captain Rex leaned down to whisper. "Don't worry about us being trapped, we've been in tighter jams than this, kid," he added with a laugh, as his gaze swept over the Tortuga Padawan…former Padawan, he thought. She was brave, she had defied her entire Order and now she had faced down a Sith Lord. "You did better than okay," he added, reaching a hand out and touching her face. Ahsoka grabbed his hand and squeezed it.

"Thanks, Rex."

Anakin watched his Padawan go off with Captain Rex and his medic, Kix and then turned back to Obi-Wan, "We'll find our way out, we always do, Master," Anakin told him.

"General, should we send some scouts to see if there is another way around?" Jesse asked.

"Go ahead, although Jaq should be coming from the other way."

"I doubt they could handle Dooku though," Obi-Wan remarked. "Only a fully trained Jedi can hope to confront a Sith and live."

"Ahsoka did alright," Anakin replied.

"Thanks to your training, Anakin, but she's not ready for the Trials."

"I know," Anakin replied. He watched as Rex and Kix helped Ahsoka sit up. He thought of his Clone Troopers, his men, and the War.

"When this war ends," Anakin began, "Padme and I will begin our family," he said quietly, the words his father-in-law had spoken playing in his head.

"You wish to be a father?" Boil asked, surprised. "I didn't mean to overhear sirs," he added to the Generals.

"It's quite alright," Anakin replied, "Yes, I do. I've always wanted a family on some level, even if I don't have a lot of experience with younglings," Anakin responded.

"What will happen to us when the wars over?" Cody asked.

"Men like us don't start wars," Alpha stated, "We just die in them; we've always died in them, and we always will. We don't expect any parades; no one will ever remember our names, or our numbers. That is if the age acceleration doesn't kill us first," Alpha finished. Anakin and Obi-Wan looked around at the Troopers. The oldest trooper here couldn't be more than four standard years old. It was the reality of a situation Anakin had never imagined, they were bred to die. If they hadn't been engineered they would have been small children, and yet they were men in their twenties and thirties. Anakin's eyes met Obi-Wan's. "Not if we have anything to say about it," Anakin replied, his voice steely.

"We were bred to die," Alpha replied.

"You are my men, and I will do everything I can to find a cure."

"Do you think a cure can be found?" Jesse asked his voice hopefully.

"If the General believes, so do I," Rex added joining the group. They heard drilling on the other side of the door and they knew the rest of their men would soon have them out. The mission was a failure, but they had shown Dooku what they were made of. Anakin longed to go home but he knew right now, he had to be out here, with his men, no matter what.

"Anakin, let's go home," he heard and turned to see the quirk on his Master's face. "I will do whatever I can to see that you find your wife, and there's somewhere I need to be as well. Someone I need to explain a few things to."

"What are we becoming, Master?" Anakin asked.

"Perhaps something far greater than the Jedi. Perhaps a new breed of Jedi, I don't know Anakin, but I will follow you and the will of the Force as long as you'll let me." Anakin watched as the opening was clear.

"All right men, we are on leave, just as soon as we get to Coruscent. You will have one week of leave," Anakin replied, as he read Obi-Wan's thoughts and smiled to himself. He had been right, Obi-Wan weren't like the rest of the Jedi, and he was so much more.


	18. Chapter 18

Meetings and Powers

Senator Padme Amidala Skywalker was in a meeting with Chancellor Palpatine when news came in several days later that High General Obi-Wan Kenobi, General Anakin Skywalker, Commander Ahsoka Tano, the 501st and the 212nd had engaged Count Dooku. Padme's hand fell to her throat. "Anakin?" she whispered.

"I'm sure he's alright, Senator Skywalker,"Chancellor Palpatine said kindly, patting her hand gently. "We should get on well the preparations for your wedding celebration. This is so exiting!"

"I don't know Chancellor, it seems like an awful lot of work, and there are many matters not resolved."

"This will be good for the Republic; it will show that if the Jedi and Senate can get along and fall in love, then it's only a matter of time before we end this war. It will bring negotiations back to the table," he added.

"Perhaps, I'm still so torn. Anakin would be distressed to think that our wedding is based on some kind of political gamble," Padme argued with the Chancellor.

"Then it's up to you, my dear, to tell him what your marriage is based upon, why you married a Jedi in the first place. There are those who will believe that he used the Force upon you, particularly since the Jedi get their orders from the Senate…." Palpatine trailed off as his voice became lower and menacing.

"He didn't trick me!" Padme said, standing up, her eyes flashing at the insinuation. "I love Anakin, and he loves me."

"There are others that will believed you tricked him, to have a Jedi in your pocket to eliminate your enemies in the Senate. What more powerful weapon could there possible than to have the most powerful Jedi in the Order in your pocket…or rather in your bed?" he asked. Before either one of them could react, Padme's hand slapped the Chancellor across the face, leaving a red stain across his pale skin. It may have been a trick of the light but for a brief second Padme could have sworn his kind blue eyes vibrated with an inner yellow light, but it was gone and he was smiling softly, as Padme breathed hard.

"My apologies, my dear, I was just playing Devil's Advocate and explaining what might be said if we do not address this properly. Don't forget, my dear Senator, just as you are Queen Apillana's Senator I was once yours."

Padme's eyes narrowed, "Perhaps one day, you will have to give up your emergency powers and return to just being a simple Senator, or perhaps one day I will replace you as Chancellor. I am more than up to the challenge," she stated. "It is curious, Chancellor how convient it is that you have remained in power much longer than Vollorm, just as he lost power the same could be said for you. Once this war is over, you will have to hand your emergency powers back to where they belong in the hands of the people and the Senate," Padme smirked at him, watching his reactions. She could have sworn his eyes flashed yellow, before he smiled benignly.

"Let's pray that day comes soon. I will do everything in my power to see this war over and the Galaxy whole once again."

"As will I, I hate to think of the children growing up with a galaxy at war," she said, as tears sprang to her eyes. She thought of her child, would the galaxy ever be a safe haven for the children? She thought of the children in the Jedi Temple, and the many words she had visited during her travels, when would it end? Was Palpatine prolonging the war? She didn't know, but she didn't respect the man as she once did, and something about him these days made her want to rise up and challenge him, and his power. Suddenly, she felt nauseous and smiled before dashing off to the 'fresher. She came back with a weak smile. "It must have been something I've eaten, it appears Three-pio's food doesn't agree with my delicate palette," she explained, protecting her secret.

"The wedding will take place whenever Skywalker returns to Coruscent." Padme was so tired of arguing for the day.

"If you think that's best, Chancellor," she said, her visit to the 'fresher had made her weak. She couldn't imagine that she had anything left in her stomach to regurgitate. "If you will excuse me, I am late for a meeting with Senator Organo and Senator Mon Mothma," she explained. "We will continue this discussion at a later date."

"Of course, my dear," he added, his eyes narrowing on the Senator. "Allow me to escort you out. You mean more to me than you can ever know. I will be as relieved as you will whenever Anakin returns home. I put great stock in his judgment, he's a good man."

"A better man than most," Padme agreed, feeling herself soften. "A better man than the Jedi give him credit for."

"I was most surprised when I heard that he and Master Kenobi left the Jedi Order. Are there no Jedi that are on Anakin's side?" he asked.

"One or two," she said, with a small smile, thinking of her talk with Master Koon. She found her way into Senator Organa's office. "Bail," she said with a smile, meeting him in the middle of the room in a friendly embrace. "What are your thoughts on the Chancellor?" she said, worriedly.

Viceroy Senator Bail Organa took in the worried state of his friend, Senator Padme Amidala Skywalker, she looked nervous. He suspected that she was pregnant with Skywalker's child, and although he had never approved of a relationship between the Jedi and the Chancellor or the Senate for sure, he was worried about the manipulations of the great Force only they were privy to, he respected the Jedi; it was why he kept her secret. He could see that she appeared a little green around the gills, she had lost a few pounds and couldn't seem to keep anything down, he had noticed, when they took lunch together, compiled with the recent information that she was married to Skywalker and he had seen her faint from dizziness, he was sure of her condition. Bail wasn't sure what to tell Padme about the Chancellor, as her husband clearly trusted him. He was part of a Loyalist committee trying to restore democracy to the ever-changing Republic. "I know he has remained in office longer than any other Chancellor," Bail said slowly, eying his friend carefully.

"I challenged him, Bail," Padme moaned, pressing her hands to her temple, she could feel a massive headache coming on. "I'm so afraid," she whispered. "I wish Anakin was here," she whispered as tears built up in her eyes and spilled down.

"What do you mean, you challenged him?" Bail asked her carefully.

Padme took a few deep ragged breathes to control herself. "I told him I would run as Chancellor. You should have seen him Bail; I don't know what came over me. He suggested that I was using Anakin to further my politician ambitions. I usually have so much more self-control than that," she bemoaned.

"Padme, you must not challenge him. There are rumors that he has done away with those who have spoken out against him. Senators that have suddenly died, or went missing, those were opponents of Palpatine's. The Separatists were usually blamed, but I've always wondered how much the Separatists have had to do with it, or if it wasn't a plot by the Chancellor."

"Bail, what are you suggesting?" Padme asked, even more afraid as her hand stole to her stomach.

"The galaxy is in a state of chaos, it's how he was able to extend his term, how he was able to take over so many security measures. Just recently he has installed security in many of the Senators private homes and offices, 'for our protection'."

"Is it safe to talk?" Padme asked. Bail nodded.

"There's a boy I know whose been able to replace what's being said and done with a fake. He's a Corellian; I just hope he doesn't go missing like the others."

"That has happened before?"

"Politics, my dear Padme, is not for the faint at heart," Bail added, offering her a weak smile.

"We must stop him, Bail," Padme said her eyes never flinching.

"I know he's good friends with your husband," Bail continued, "I hope I can trust you with our secret. It's just two of us now, but we are working with putting together a committee of politicians loyal to the Republic, loyal to the ideals and values of democracy. I hate to ask you given your current predicament, but we need more than just two."

""What do you know?" she asked.

"I know that unlike my wife, you will be blessed with a child, and that you and Skywalker can always trust me to protect you," he whispered squeezing her hand. "Given the fact, I hate to ask you however I feel to make a difference we must have more names, we must have more voices, more planets that agree that democracy must resume."

"You have my undying support, Bail."

"Thank you, Padme."

Meanwhile, in his sound-proof room, Darth Sidious was in a fine mood. It was too soon. Much too soon. He screamed as he stretched out his hand and lit up the room as bluish- white electricity shot from his fingertips. Padme wasn't supposed to challenge him, if she figured out who he was, Skywalker would not turn, not yet. He had to do something to stop Padme from telling Anakin who he was. He had to drive Anakin into a panic. He was almost certain that the 'good' Senator was the source of that light, and he had itched to watch the life drain from her eyes. Even she had served her purpose, without her he wouldn't be Chancellor. Damn her to Sith Hell! Damn her pacifist views! She was no good for Skywalker; Barriss would have been a much better choice. For as she had once healed people she was now harming and poisoning the Jedi that she treated. He hoped Barriss plan succeeded. With two former-Jedi their children would be heir to the Sith legacy, but with Padme….he shot lightning from his fingertips once again. Dooku had contacted him and told him of the change in Skywalker, how he had fought Skywalker and his apprentice. What would he do without the Chosen One as he apprentice? Empire and he couldn't afford for anything to threaten his reign. Take the Chancellorship from him, indeed. And she would most likely win, he could see her defeating him and discovering his identity, and Skywalker…..he placed a hand over her neck, not falling to the dark side as he took him out. He pulled his hood up, and contacted General Grievous. It was much too soon, but Padme was getting too close. It was now or never, this was his last chance, the only way to throw them off.

"General Grievous," he intoned in the voice of the snake. "It is time for our dreams to become realized, to strike a blow to the heart of the Republic."

"Yes, my lord. What is your command?" the strange alien-cyborg gave a strangled cough as he bowed and awaited his instructions.

"We must kidnap the Chancellor of the Republic; once he falls the Republic will be crippled. Do not harm him," Sidious intoned, "I repeat he shall not be harmed."

"Yes, Lord Sidious. Grievous out." Sidious knew that within the next couple of days Grievous would arrive to kidnap him and if Anakin cared about him the way he believed, he would insist on being the one to rescue him. Away from Amidala, Skywalker could still be salvaged for his ultimate plan, for the destiny of the Chosen One.

At the Jedi Temple, Grand Master Yoda and Masters Plo Kloon, Kit Fitso, and Shaak Ti were in their Council seats while Masters Strass Allie, Aayla Secura and Tin were there by hologram, and Master Mundi was too busy with his campaign to attend.

"Since the departure of Obi-Wan, A new master for the Council needed is needed," intoned Master Yoda.

"There is none ready," Kit added. "Master Obi-Wan was in a class by himself. He's always been a loyal and faithful Jedi."

"Much like Knight Skywalker," Master Plo added. "I have seen much of Obi-Wan in Knight Skywalker. He is like no other in our Order, but then again the Chosen One was not meant to be."

"Agree with Skywalker and Kenobi you do?"

"I'm surprised more of the Order doesn't, or need I remind you of what I discovered upon finding Ahsoka Tano and bringing her into the Order, Master Ti?" Master Plo Kloon watched as Master Ti colored. "And she's not alone; there are many of the Order who have done the same. Master Ti and Knight Skywalker are not alone in their indiscretions, are they?"

"You have no proof. I never broke the Code, Master Plo," Shaak Ti replied. "I had a feeling that there was a youngling that would prove most useful to our Order, that was why I employed you to seek out the source on Shilli," Master Ti finished. Master Kit rolled his eyes. Yes, Skywalker and Kenobi weren't wrong.

"Bring Skywalker in for questioning, Master Windu will."

"Why should we question him?" Master Plo replied. "We really can't blame him, we should have stood behind Ahsoka Tano and Anakin Skywalker, the mistake was ours, not theirs."

"To leave the Order, a path to the Dark Side it was for Count Dooku."

"That doesn't mean the Chosen One will follow the same path," Master Plo reminded the council. "There are many Jedi that have left the Order once they became Knights. With the addition of Skywalker and Kenobi that brings our total up to twenty-two, in fact the former Master Dooku is the only one that we know of."

"Forgotten the old times you are, Master Plo. Others, there have been. Of the Old Republic there were."

"You speak of the Jedi Raven and Malak?" Master Tin asked.

"Danger, grave danger to the Order they were," Master Yoda replied. "Told of them, when I was a boy they did. Abolished attachment, I did. No other choice, did I see."

Master Kit cleared his throat, "I may not have been alive, Master Yoda, if you will beg my pardon, but didn't the Jedi betray the Exile?"

"No! Betrayed the Order, the Exile did."

"Perhaps, we should all meditate about the change in the Force, you have all felt it?" Master Ti asked. They all nodded, although there were only a few that knew where it came from, they all agreed that the Order and the Force was different.

"Believed, Master Windu did that behind the current in the Force, Skywalker is."

"But how?" Kit asked.

"We won't find out until he returns to Coruscent," Master Plo added. "I suggest we await any judgment until then. This is a dangerous time, and alienating Knight Skywalker will not help. I suggest that we abolish the attachment rule and welcome them both back into the Order."

"Is there to be no punishment for a violation of our sacred Code?" Master Allie asked. "Should we not do as was done to Raven and give him the choice without his memories to choose the Jedi or that...Senator?" she asked, disdain in her voice. The Chosen One should have chosen the Jedi over the Senator, in her opinion; she had destroyed Skywalker and put their Order at risk.

"Much to discuss, there still is," Master Yoda replied. "Await on Skywalker's return we must. Ask the Force for a safe return for Master Windu, we await."


	19. Battle of Coruscent

Battle of Coruscent

"Why can't this thing go any faster?" Anakin complained, as they still had hours left before they would arrive on Corusent.

"Patience, Anakin. Padme isn't just sitting around waiting for you to pop back into her life, you know," Obi-Wan stated, dryly, "She does have a life to you know."

"I know, Master," Anakin replied, looking over as his master. Obi-Wan's normally concealed emotions showed through their bond. "What's wrong, Master?"

"Nothing, Anakin," Obi-Wan barked.

"Where will you go? Are you going to see your girlfriend?" he teased.

"Yes…..no, I mean Anakin, she's not my girlfriend."

"Only because you didn't allow her to be," Anakin replied and was rewarded with a sharp Force push. Anakin frowned. "Men, I believe it's time to head to the mess hall, you are dismissed," he added as the Clone Troopers assigned to General Skywalker and High General Kenobi filed out leaving the Generals' alone. Even Ahsoka followed behind Rex toward the mess hall. "Are you nervous?" Anakin asked, his brow furrowed up, in a good imitation of his master.

"I-You-Satine-" Obi-Wan stammered. "I always tried to be a model Jedi, to follow the Code, to live by the Force, to be the perfect Padawan to Master Qui-Gon, to be the perfect Master to you, to be the perfect Council-member. I always followed the Code even when it went against my own desires," Obi-Wan glared at his Padawan, and Anakin was taken aback at the emotion showed there, "I never expected that my own Padawan would break the Code in such a way."

"I thought you were happy for me," Anakin said softly.

"I am, but Anakin….you have **everything I never realized I wanted**!" he all but screamed. Anakin realized that his former master was in a state of conflict, he had gone against everything he had ever known trusting only in his Padawan.

"Master, I didn't ask you to leave the order," he said evenly, "I never thought you would, but I am proud that you had the guts to stand against them, and to follow the will of the Force."

"Do we even know what that means?" Obi-Wan asked with a half-sob half-laugh.

"We must keep ourselves open to what it is the Force wants from us. The Force brought Padme and me together, it wanted us to defy the Code, and I know that it's hard for you to believe but it believes that nurturing attachments instead of detaching from them is the best way to serve it. It is disappointed not only in the Sith but in the Jedi who aren't living, they aren't part of the Living Force as Qui-Gon knew to be true. The Force was very proud of Qui-Gon it was why it sent him to find me." Obi-Wan closed his eyes and he heard.

_Believe his words, they are true. They are my words. This is my son, Chosen by me to serve my will, to correct the many mistakes of Force wielders._ Obi-Wan opened his eyes. "Alright, let's suppose I believe you, what does that mean for me?"

"That's for you to figure out," Anakin replied as he left Obi-Wan pondering while he grabbed a tray and sat down with Ahsoka, Rex, Fives, Oddball, and Jesse. "We will not let Dooku escape again. I feel that this war is coming to an end, sooner than we ever anticipated. I need you to be ready."

"We're always ready, General," Rex stated.

"On your command," Fives added.

"Can we get better desert?" Jesse asked and the men laughed. Anakin dug into heartily to his food, he had a feeling he would need it.

On Coruscent, General Grevious was mounting an attack on the Capital. The plan was brilliant; he had brought only his best and brighter droids with him, his Jedi killers. General Grievous has once been something entirely different. He never realized that it was the Sith he had served that had orchestrated his accident, not on a battlefield as he deserved but in a crash. He was a General a death on anything other than a battlefield was a disgrace, and so when they came to him and offered life, and battle, he readily accepted. He didn't realize that the fact that he took orders, that he never offered mercy had not always been part of his personality, that although not entirely alchemistic he was no longer the sentiment he had once been, and so when the Order to kidnap the Chancellor came through he was more than eager to accept, and attack the Jedi, if there were civilian causalities then so be it. He led a task force, half of them to attack the Jedi Temple as a distraction, and the other half to come with him to secure the Chancellor.

Padme had decided that she would confront Palpatine about his relationship with her husband; something inside of her kept nagging at her about their relationship. She had even taken precautions and hid a blaster beneath her robes. "It will be alright, little one," she stated to her unborn child. She knew her child was too young to move, to sense anything, but she had a feeling the child knew more than she did about the world around her. "Mommy's going to do everything she can to protect you, and once Daddy comes home everything will be as it should." It had been a few weeks since her talk with the Chancellor and she knew Anakin was due home any day. She could barely wait to tell him about her condition, but some things needed to be done. She was entering her second month of pregnancy and she had begun to see a regular physical as 'Sabe.' She took the vitamins and nutrition shots with regularity, she wouldn't have anything put her child in danger. She pulled a robe over her head as she headed toward the Chancellor's office.

"Chancellor Palpatine," she stated, not bothering to knock, or wait for the Red Guards that were curiously missing. "We have something to discuss, and I need answers." Padme paused as she saw General Grievous with his Magna Guards.

"Padme, get out of here, save yourself," came the weak, terrified voice of the Chancellor. Before Padme could decide how to react, one of the Magna-Guards came forward and took her into custody. Padme wasn't stupid; she knew her blaster wouldn't hold up against their staff.

"You will be sorry. The Republic will not stand for this. You cannot hope to kidnap the Chancellor of the Republic and a Senator and get away with this," she added.

"I have my orders," General Grievous stated, staring at the courageous Senator. He did admire her bravery but there was nothing to be done now, she must come along, she knew too much.

"You fool, I demand that you release Senator Skywalker, this was not part of the plan!" he snarled. Padme narrowed her eyes; it was almost as if….he was giving orders to Grievous. How could he, the Chancellor of the Republic be giving Orders to Grievous? Perhaps, he was just stressed.

"Get off me, you fool!" Grievous stated, slamming his hand into the Chancellor's face. "I don't take orders from you." The Chancellor wiped at the blood on his lip.

"But you do take orders…how interesting," Palpatine said calmly.

"You are mine!" Grievous stated as Jedi showed up at the door. "Finally, a challenge," Grievous added, pulling out and igniting four lightsabers. Master Ti was there, along with Master Fitso.

"Chancellor, you must not be afraid, but you must evacuate," Master Fitso said carefully.

"I will not abandon the Republic," he stated and Padme felt for her blaster ready to defend the Chancellor herself if she could. She saw Master Windu come in, he smiled at her, and she felt obliged to return his smile.

"Senator Amidala, you must come with me. You are more important to the Jedi than you realize. Your protection must be guaranteed," he stated as he knelt by her side. "Master Kit and Ti are more than capable of defending the Supreme Chancellor," he added. Padme nodded and followed him silently.

"Skywalker," she added, once they left the Chancellor's office. "My name is Padme Skywalker."

"Yes, the Jedi are well aware of your association with young Skywalker," he replied, his mouth forming a grim line. Padme glanced back and saw the Chancellor cowing under a chair, but she couldn't miss the smile on his face or the fact that his eyes glowed yellow.

"Master Jedi, I'm not a Jedi by any means," she replied.

"No. You. Are. Not," Master Windu stated, punctuating each and every word. "And neither is your consort." Padme laughed, and Mace Windu felt her a lost cause, she was too heavily influenced by Skywalker, there was no saving her. He had thought to open her eyes, now he saw that she was leaving him no choice. She would have to be used as bait, to draw Skywalker to him, and when he came, he would be walking into a trap.

"Master Windu, I'm afraid you mistake the nature of my relationship with Anakin. I am his wife, not his consort," she reminded him gently. She was surprised, when he slipped binders on her wrist. "What is the meaning of this?" she asked with all the regal bearing of a Queen.

"My apologies, Senator, but it's the only way to draw Skywalker to you."

"No, I will not become a hostage to be bartered," she replied. "You will not use me to get to my husband," she replied before she felt a short pinch at her neck.

"Apologies, Senator, there is no other way," he replied as she slumped in his arms. He pulled her over his shoulder as he returned to his starship. He knew where to take her. To the place where Skywalker had committed his crimes, while he was still a Padawan. Tattooine. He set the coordinates after locking her into the brig, after making sure she had adequate sleeping and eating arrangements. His intention was not to harm the Senator but to use her as bait. Mace Windu was unaware of the change in his eyes from brown to a Sithly yellow as he put in the coordinates for Tattooine.

Darth Sidious smiled as General Grievous took him aboard the _Invisible Hand_. "Don't get to comfortable. Count Dooku will deal with you soon." He was left alone, with droids to guard him. What could droids do against the most powerful Sith ever to reign in the Galaxy? He only had one regret, that he hadn't been able to see his former master when the life drained from, no matter. He would be able to see it when it drained from his apprentice. He was the most powerful Sith, both politically, and in the Force. This split in missions would separate Skywalker from at least one major influence. Until he got Padme back she would not be telling him anything that worried her treacherous head, and either his master or Padawan would attempt to rescue him, separating him from his allies. Yesssss…..his plans could still come to fruitarian. He just had to keep Skywalker separated and hopefully his slave; his apprentice would exterminate Kenobi or Tano permanently. He felt Skywalker and Windu at the same time from different directions and laughed at the irony of the situation. Had Skywalker known that Windu was leaving with his precious cargo he wouldn't be standing with his Troops looking around at the damage that had occurred on Coruscent. It was a shame that Grievous hadn't managed to take out any of the Jedi Masters, no matter, the Jedi would die, he would see to that.


	20. Chapter 20

_A/N Thanks for all the random reviews from guests as well as the ones from members, they mean a lot, it's why I do what I do. A/N2: All mention of Anakin discovering about the child should be stricken, I have a better plan as to when Anakin discovers about the child's existance._

Discoveries

"Something's not right. I've got a bad feeling about this," Anakin said as his starship touched down on Coruscent, no longer parking at the Jedi Temple but near the Senate. The men were laughing and joking glad to be home and planning on hitting the cantina. Normally, Anakin would enjoy some downtime, but he kept getting whispers from the Force that faded in and out. Something was very very wrong. He knew he should give the Republic a report on their mission, it was his duty since he had engaged Count Dooku but…..there was something wrong, and not just with the Jedi, something much closer to home. Anakin forced himself to relax, releasing his emotions into the Force as he had been taught, but nothing worked. He was nervous. He swung his eyes to Snips. "Snips…" he stated and she nodded.

"Go, find her Master. Obi-Wan and I can deal with reporting to the Council." Anakin's smiled broadened.

"No one could ask for a better master and Padawan," he replied, before jogging toward his home, his home with Padme. He pushed his human hand to the thumbpad and was rewarded with a view of his home as the doors slid shut behind him. He heard Artoo somewhere behind him. He saw Three-pio cleaning. "Three-pio, where is Padme?" he gritted out.

"Oh my, Master Ani. We are so glad you are home. Mistress Padme was so worried when she heard that you had engaged Count Dooku…" Anakin wanted nothing more than to tear the information from the useless droid. He took a deep breath as the droid prattled. "And then she went to the baby store…." Anakin frowned and looked up.

"Baby store?" he repeated numbly. He assumed Sola was pregnant or one of her handmaidens. Padme was so kind.

"Yes, Master Ani, she ran into Master Plo Kloon there," he explained. Force, was the droid going to tell him where she was or not? Anakin ignored his droid; he was due for an upgrade.

"I'm going out, Three-pio. Let Padme know whenever she gets back, it doesn't matter when to comm me immediately," he stressed.

"Oh yes, Master Ani!" Three-pio stated excitedly. What had Anakin been thinking when he built the droid? However, Padme seemed to enjoy him enough. He reached out with the Force and felt himself recoil, he couldn't sense Padme, which meant one of two things, she was either dead, which was impossible he would have felt it no matter what the difference, or two, he was being blocked from sensing her by either Force inhibitors or a yslammi. Neither option was good. He had to find her! He barely noticed the commotion around him, so concerned he was for his wife. He was running, looking everywhere for her that he nearly knocked Senator Organa off his feat.

"Master Skywalker?" he heard, as he steadies the Alderraan viceroy.

"Viceroy?" Anakin questioned.

"You look stressed, Master Jedi," the Alderraan senator smiled kindly. "I don't have to guess why," he added. Anakin's frown deepened.

"I am no longer a Jedi, Viceroy."

"There should be no titles between us. Please call me, Bail."

"Alright, do you know where I can locate my wife?" Anakin asked, worry seeping into his voice.

"She went to speak to the Chancellor about something last I heard…" Bail frowned, considering the Jedi in front of him. He could see the worry in the flash of his blue eyes, in the tight drawn lines of his face. He had wondered about the love between them. It had been clear that Padme loved him over the many times she had cried over him, and now Bail could see that he truly cared for his friend.

"Thanks...Bail," Anakin said attempted to dash off, but before he could he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Congratulations, Anakin. You will do fine, just fine," Anakin didn't stop to ponder the meaning behind the viceroy's words.

"Thanks…I need to find Padme," he explained, before shaking his head at the odd customs and words of the Alderraan viceroy. Anakin nearly ran into Master Kit Fitso.

"Knight Skywalker?" he heard. Anakin's eyes flashed at the Jedi Master. Could he not get to his wife? Without warning, Anakin's frustration became palpable. Papers swung in his wake as he walked. "Knight Skywalker, you need to get your emotions under control," Anakin heard and he felt the hands of both Master Plo Kloon and Master Kit Fitso on him. "We will get her back."

"Padme?" he whispered, fear gripping him.

"General Grievous has the Supreme Chancellor and your wife," Master Plo admitted. Anakin looked into the eyes of the Jedi in front of him. It was his greatest fear, that his enemies would involve her; it had been one of their main reasons for secrecy. Anakin sank to his knees, as Senator Mon Momtha and Viceroy Bail Organa came closer to offer assistance.

"What have I done?" he whispered, tears breaking through his mask of calm. Master Plo pulled the boy to his feet.

"This is not your fault, Skywalker. You have to keep it together, for Padme's sake, and the sake of your child." Anakin's head swam. If he hadn't admitted his relationship to Padme, if he had stayed within the Order, she would be safe. Master Plo turned to Kit. "I need you to contact Obi-Wan and Ahsoka. He needs them." Anakin barely heard the words as he was helped to his feet. He leaned on the Jedi Master for support as he was led back to the Temple healers. "You must understand that there are many in the Jedi Order that still support you. You must stay strong for we are with you….Anakin," Master Plo added using his given name. Anakin nodded numbly, as he reached out to the Force time and again coming to a blank wall.

"I can't find her," Anakin whispered and Kit Fitso nodded.

"Obi-Wan is on his way. Do you think this is why attachments are forbidden?" he asked Master Plo.

"No. Anakin will be fine, he just has to get himself under control, which he will do," Master Plo stated. "You have more than Padme to think about. You must be strong for your wife and for the Jedi," he added. Anakin's head snapped up and his eyes flashed.

"What do you mean for the Jedi?" Senator Organa patted Anakin's shoulder.

"You are still the Chosen One; we need you, and you need us. We are family." he whispered. Anakin's eyes flitted from one individual to another.

He watched as Obi-Wan came to him and placed his arms around his apprentice and rocked him as he had done when he was small. Anakin struggled against the soothing feelings, before brushing his master and Padawan away. "You say Grievous has her?" he asked. Master Plo and Kit nodded. "Do we know which flagship?"

"The Invisible Hand," Master Kit added.

"Alright, let's do some recon. Grievous is not keeping my wife and mentor from me. We will get both Padme and Palpatine back where they belong. What you need to do is send some of the Troopers to Grievous home world, just in case we miss him," Anakin replied, his voice hard, all business. "Where's Rex? Send him to me immediately," Anakin replied. Master Plo shot Kit a knowing look. This was the man that had saved his life, despite orders from the Jedi and the Chancellor. Anakin took off his mechanical glove; he would have to repair his arm before this battle. He waited for Rex and Fives to appear.

"General, you sent for us."

"Yes, we need to scour all Intelligence for any sightings of the _Invisible Han._ My wife and the Supreme Chancellor are on board. We cannot allow the Separatists army to harm them."

"Agreed," Rex stated. "We will do whatever it takes to protect your wife and bring her home, back to you, sir."

"Where's your training, Rex?" Jesse asked. "The Chancellor must be protected more than any other sentient."

"My loyalty lies with the General who has stood in battle with us above all others, including the Supreme Chancellor. Where was he when we fought on Muun? On Alderaan? On Chistophsis? On any of the other Force forsaken planets?" Rex spat back at his friend, as something shifted within him. There was an Order that he had been bred to follow above all others, and Order that was hidden from the Jedi, an Order that he no longer felt compelled to heed. Anakin watched his men silently.

"Get to it, you are dismissed," he added.

"What was that,"Ahsoka asked, wondering about the conversation between Rex and Jesse. It concerned her greatly. She was going to make it a point to look into what training for the Clone Troopers entailed.

"Anakin, this could be a trap?" Obi-Wan added. Anakin soon replaced his glove over his mechanical hand.

"I know, Master. We can't stop not when Padme and the Chancellor is in danger. I know I shouldn't ask this of you….but I need her, Master. I can't live without her."

"I will always have your back, Anakin," Obi-Wan stated as with a quick nod they went to the docking bay to check on the progress of the checks that all starships and cruisers went under on their return to a planet. They were less than half-way done, and Obi-Wan knew Anakin was impatient. "

"Anakin, Obi-Wan, I fear that Master Windu has lost his way. I've been talking with a few of the Jedi and I fear….he has lost his way," Master Plo told them.

"He's been obsessed with Skywalker," Kit added, with an apologetic smile toward Obi-Wan, "There has been a change in the Force, we have all felt it. He was granted permission by the Council to find Anakin and bring him back for questioning. However, his location hasn't been discovered since this attack. I fear the worst," he added.

"We are going to do our best to find Master Windu," Plo added. "We won't give up. You still have allies within the Jedi," he told Anakin.

"Thank you, Masters," Anakin said, with a slight bow, "You have my undying loyalty and gratitude. "Now I must be on my way."

"Of course, May the Force be with you," Master Kit called out the familiar Jedi greeting, acknowledging that Anakin, Ahsoka, and Obi-Wan were still one of them.

"And with you," Anakin replied before entering his starcruiser with his trusty astromech at his side. "Come on Artoo," he added, "Let's go rescue, Padme." Artoo beeped and Anakin smiled affectionately at the little droid who had become a faithful companion to him.


	21. Plans and Prophecy

_A/N: Ignore any mention of Anakin knowing about Padme's pregnancy in the last chapter, I have a better idea planned for that :)...I hope I have fixed it...and now on with the show. _

Plans and Prophecy

Jedi Master, High Councilman of the Jedi Order, Mace Windu rubbed his dark bald head as he sensed the Senator's presence begin to stir. He had had no choice but to inject her with Force suppressants even though she couldn't use the Force to prevent Skywalker from tracking him through her Force presence before he was ready. He hated that he had to kidnap her, but it was the only way he could see to protect democracy, the Republic, and the Jedi Order. He thought back to the vision he had had about the Temple on fire, about the Jedi Order being oblivated. Somehow he knew that Skywalker was at the center of it, and Master Windu would prevent the fall of the Jedi and protect the adherence of their Code at all costs.

Mace carried a tray of food to the Senator of Naboo and set it down gently.

"There is no need to be alarmed, Senator Amidala," he greeted her as her eyes fluttered open and the restraints he had put on her clattered against the bed he had laid her upon.

"I can see that you are no threat," she stated sarcastically, "That is why I am here as your guest, Master Jedi. And the name is Skywalker," she retorted. "I am a member of the Galactic Senate; this will be seen as an act of war. Release me now and I can prevent the bloodshed that will follow such an action," she replied, her dark eyes clashing with his.

"I'm afraid I cannot do that. I need Skywalker to find us, and it is your presence that will draw him to us….when the time is right."

"What do you want with Anakin?" she asked.

"He's too dangerous to be kept alive. Surely, Skywalker has told you of my rare ability," the Korun Master added, handing her the plate of food. She was tempted to spit it at him, but she needed the food for her little one.

"He once told me you were one of the most powerful Jedi of the Order, second only to Obi-Wan," Padme said the last with a smirk.

"I assure you, my powers greatly eclipse that of Kenobi and Skywalker."

"You are arrogant," she replied, wishing she could grasp her blaster, but it was possibly better that she couldn't.

"A flaw shared by many Jedi. Your…consort will be the fall of the Jedi; I cannot allow that to happen. You must believe, Senator, that this is what's best for democracy, for the Republic. Skywalker will cause both to be lost. Help me to save the Republic," he added, his eyes turning yellow with an inner fire.

"At what cost?"

"Only a few lives. We must sacrifice the few to save the masses."

"No," Padme replied carefully. "You cannot mean to sacrifice Anakin. Anakin loves the Jedi, his trust has been shaken in your abandonment of Ahsoka, but he is a good man, a great man, he has all the characteristics that you Jedi lack. To abandon the Code is to embrace humanity, and that is what makes my husband different. That is where he gains his strength. Perhaps, it is needed for the Jedi to fall. Every life is sacred from the smallest being to the largest. You are not the Jedi you were," she stated evenly, using her greatest weapon, her compassion and her voice. She wasn't considered one of the greatest politicians of her time for nothing.

"You understand nothing."

"I understand everything. You, Master Jedi, even with the Force are blinded to the true nature of life; Anakin calls it the Living Force." Master Windu slapped her in the face. Padme spit out blood and glared at him.

"Anakin will come for me."

"I am counting on it, Senator, oh, I'm counting on it." The Once Great Jedi Master stalked out of the room setting up ray shields. Padme waited for him to leave, and then her eyes filled with tears. He was wrong about Anakin; Anakin wasn't the Destroyer but the Savior, their Chosen One. He was the son of the Force itself, and her child would be the grandchild. She gently touched her lip, she would survive, and she could just hope that Anakin wouldn't notice. He was very protective over her; he always had been, even as a nine year-old.

Meanwhile, Master Plo Kloon and Master Kit Fitso were meeting with the Council. "Someone needs to find Master Windu."

"Tracking Skywalker he is," Master Yoda stated.

"That's outrageous!" Master Kit Fitso stated, "Anakin was just on Coruscent after engaging Count Dooku, but with the kidnapping of Chancellor Palpatine and Senator Skywalker, Knight Skywalker is tracking the _Invisible Hand_."

"Knight Skywalker, he is not. Refer to him as such, you should not," Master Yoda intoned. "Crimes to answer for, Master Windu believes young Skywalker must. To the Citadel, he should go. Lost his way, he has."

"Or are we the ones that have lost our way," Master Plo added. "The Clone Wars has changed the Jedi. Where we were once peacekeepers we have become Generals of the Army of the Republic. We were called upon and we answered the call, but perhaps negotiations should be continued. Perhaps, we should reach out to Count Dooku and our fallen Jedi. Perhaps, we should embrace them rather than pushing them away," Master Plo suggested.

"You can't mean to welcome Count Dooku back into the Order?" Master Ti asked.

"Not right away now, but by believing they are lost, they become lost, what we should do is find a way to save our brothers and sisters," Master Plo argued.

"Master Plo is right, how can we believe that we follow the light when we are leaving those who have lost their way, abandoning them to the darkness. I believe that if Master Obi-Wan was here, he would agree with me."

"Kenobi left the Order," Master Mundi added. "He left us."

"Or did we leave him?" Master Kit suggested. "We all know that the Force is changing, that the Old Order of the Sith survived because of their ability to change. Let us not fight among ourselves as they did. We are better than this."

"Search for Master Windu, why would you?"

"To find out how lost he is," Kit replied.

"Visited me, Master Windu did, before leave Coruscent. Concerned, he was. About the change in the Force. Believed he did, that Skywalker was the cause. Vote we must, if leave you will."

"I vote that he goes," Master Plo added before leaving them. There was something nagging in his mind. He had to go into the security vaults and check the Prophecy. The One that spoke of the coming of their Chosen One. There was an answer he was seeking in there. He prayed the will of the Force would be served and that his friend would be chosen to find Master Windu. Master Plo sat down at the security control center after passing by the Padawan on duty. He typed in slowly, and was able to locate the holocron. He read slowly, asking the Force for help deciphering the words and meaning behind the ancient text. 'In a time of Darkness, on a planet with twin sons, found by the keeper of the prophecy and guided by the guardian, the Chosen One shall be conceived by the Force, though trusted and guided by the Dark One, the Chosen One shall persevere and by protected by the Protector, only working hand in hand can the Guardian and the Protector keep the Chosen One safe from the Dark One. If they fail, all will not be lost, for an Angel will find the Chosen One and give birth to the Twin Suns it will. If fall to the Dark One, the Chosen One, does not change the Jedi Order must, for the light will never be extinguished from the galaxy as the walkers of the Sky will carry the Force for generations to come. If fail the Chosen One does, the Son of Sons will lead him back upon the path of light.'

Plo Kloon frowned. Anakin was obviously the Chosen One. Who was the Dark One? Could that be the Sith Lord? Obi-Wan needed to see this, just as soon as they got back, he was going to have a long talk with both Skywalker and his family, this was most puzzlingly, and it seemed as if the pieces were falling into place, he couldn't be positive but he believed the Guardian and Protector to be Obi-Wan and Ahsoka, respectively. Was the Angel, the Senator he had married? Did the other Jedi know of the extent of this prophecy? Master Plo had much to think about, but he knew if push came to shove he would side with the Chosen One. Master Plo crossed referenced the prophecy of the Chosen One to that of the Son of Sons.

'In times of Greatest Despair, there shall come a hero, heir to the Force, who shall be known as the Son of Sons. It is he, who will save the Chosen One, and lead him back upon the path of his destiny.' Why had the Jedi never spoken of the Son of Sons? Did they believe so strongly in non-attachments that they couldn't conceive of their Chosen One producing an heir?


	22. Chapter 22

_A/N: Thanks everyone for their reviews! Yes, I made up the prophecy myself, to give Anakin a choice to follow the light or the darkness, and to include those most important in his life. And Luke is the son of sons, he was a fail-safe created by the Force to protect the Galaxy from the Dark One a.k.a Lord Sidious._

_Invisible Hand_

In the weeks they had spent tracking General Gravois's flagship; Ahsoka had gained the ability of Battle Meditation. There was a negative side to this rare ability, it left Ahsoka's Force powers drained, and it didn't work on droids. Thankfully, General Grievous and Count Dooku were not droids, and under the tutor ledge of her master she had gained control over her newfound power and should be able to use it against the leaders of the droid army. Also, she would be able to reinforce both Anakin and Obi-Wan and their troops.

Anakin folded his arms over his chest as he viewed out the spaceport. He closed his eyes reaching out with the Force, searching for Padme's Force presence. It was still blocked from his senses. Anakin suppressed the urge to growl in frustration as he delved into the Force. Padme, he thought, I will find and save you. He had resisted seeking out her calming presence during many battles, but now he had to find her. There was something elusive, something he felt like he was missing. He frowned as he touched a cold presence in the Force. It was close by and was colder than the icy planet of Hoth, it felt close, and he knew it was not Dooku, he knew Dooku's presence, in fact his phantom arm would ache whenever the Count's presence appeared, as it did now, but the cold was not associated with Dooku, he knew it.

"Any luck?" Anakin heard a voice behind him say with all seriousness.

"A Jedi doesn't need luck," Anakin responded automatically.

"Anakin…" his friend admonished and Anakin sighed.

"I can't sense her which is strange in itself," Anakin stated, slowly. "She's being blocked from my senses, I can't seem to break through," Anakin admitted. "It feels like a traps being laid for me. Why else would Padme be in danger?"

"Perhaps," Obi-Wan stated. "But we've always had a policy on traps, have we not."

"Spring the trap," Anakin stated with a smile. "Let's get this mission over with, Master," Anakin added as he turned to Ahsoka. "Remember what I've taught you," he admonished his Padawan. "Stretch out with your senses, but draw back so that you don't become drained, just in case," he added, and was pleasantly surprised when she reached up and embraced him.

"Take care of yourself out there, Master. You too, Obi-Wan," she stated as she ended the hug with Anakin. She saw the light come into his eyes, as he smiled warmly at her. She hadn't known why she had hugged him, except that it had felt right. The Jedi had never been very demonstrative with their affections, but she cared deeply for her master and his master. The Force had directed her to show her affection and she had responded. It was worth it to see the light in his eyes briefly replacing the worry he felt for his wife. "Keep our bond open so I can sense what's happening with Dooku," she told Anakin. "Good Luck, Skyguy," she replied pulling back and turning back to the hangar as she closed off the outside sounds and worries fell away as she entered the battle, giving strength and confidence to both Anakin and Obi-Wan's troopers. They all had a job to do, and would need it. She banished all their doubts, allowing them to counteract while influencing the crowdedness of Gravois's personality. She felt rather than saw the two Jedi star fighters Obi-Wan and Anakin looked at.

Anakin looked at the _Azure Angel II_ and smiled thinking back to Ahsoka's hug. He felt like the darkness that had clung to his since his mother's death dissipate some more. Anakin knew that he had touched the Dark Side on Tattooine, and that it had clung to him, where the dragon had been born, however as of late with his secrets revealed, and his friendships strengthened it seemed to have less of a hold on him. Anakin yearned for the day when it would disappear completely. He was not oblivious to the darkness that clung to him like vapors surrounding him and waited for an opportunity to strike. Ahsoka….Anakin smiled thinking of her. She was a true Jedi, maybe not of the Old Order, but of the New. Anakin's thoughts froze, could they create an Order based upon humanity? Anakin shook his thoughts away; he must focus on the battle ahead. He must banish thoughts of darkness and worry for his wife away. It was just so frustrating not to be able to sense her soothing presence.

"Focus, Anakin," he heard from his best friend.

"I know, Master. Captain Rex will handle the assault, and Ahsoka will use her battle meditation to ensure our victory and my wife and the Chancellor will return safely." Anakin hopped into his cockpit before smiling at his former master. "May the Force be with you, Obi-Wan, and so will I."

Obi-Wan returned Anakin smile with one of his own. "And with you, my friend. Let's save your wife," he added embracing Anakin as well. Obi-Wan watched as Anakin struggled not to show emotion. "I will always have you back. Shall we proceed?" He pulled back and grasped Anakin hand before entering his own cockpit. "Arfour?" he asked, and Arfour beeped. "Run system diagnosis," he told the faithful droid.

In a dark place filled with warmth, two beings huddled near each other. They were too young for conscious thought, too young to have even been named, as they moved not by their own free will around the warm, dark place. They were heirs to the Force, and of the Force, and they had felt it being ripped away from them. They struggled to grasp onto it, as it fled from their senses, even without arms or legs formed they had felt the Force with them since the moment of their conception. Two beings felt loss at being bereft from the Force; they knew not languages but the presence of their mother. They, too, had felt the presence of their father, shortly after they came into existence, and had reached out for him. They felt the lack of being able to sense him. They sensed the light and the darkness that clung to their father. They yearned for the Force to return to them, as they heard their mother's words. She was crying, and there was nothing these two presences in the Force could do to help her.

"Have you noticed the shields are still up?" Obi-Wan replied a little frazzled. Blast, he thought.

"I'm on it, and I know," Anakin replied, the smile evident in his voice, "You hate flying."

"Did I say that out loud?" Obi-Wan asked.

"You didn't have to, Master," Anakin replied while rapidly firing at the ray shield. "It's what you're always thinking." Obi-Wan smirked as they crashed their starfighters into the shield. Anakin and Obi-Wan moved as one as they dismantled the droids that had taken note of their arrival.

"Do you sense her?" Obi-Wan asked his former Padawan.

"No, it's troubling," Anakin replied as he brandished his lightsaber destroying another droid quickly. "There things are like gnats," Anakin replied as another droid attacked him. A vision fell over Anakin, he saw himself with two lightsabers at the Count's throats. "I think, you and I are going to win this war, right now, right here."

"Well let's get to it," Obi-Wan replied as they followed the Force toward the Count's Force signature.


	23. Dueling Dooku

Dueling Dooku

Anakin arrived in the Throne room on the _Invisible Hand_ to find Count Dooku fighting with his assassin, Assajj Ventress. Anakin smirked, as he stopped and Obi-Wan nearly ran into him. The Force was speaking to Anakin again about his destiny, about balance, about this Dark Jedi in front of him. He looked at Obi-Wan and scratched his chin. Obi-Wan nodded a slid a figure over his arm. They approached the fighting duo silently.

"Surrender, Dooku, we've got you surrounded." As Anakin watched Captain Rex nodded and the Clone Troopers spread out and around the Sith and his Dark Jedi.

"Foolish Jedi! You know nothing of the Dark Side!" the Count added using a strong Force push on Captain Rex. Captain Rex was prepared and activated his boosters, that way when he was pushed he could maintain his balance. Anakin smiled, Ahsoka's battle meditation was paying off. The Clones seemed to know what to do before the Sith even acted.

"This is your only chance," Anakin continued.

"Unless one of you is hiding Yoda in his pocket I hardly think I'll need it," The Count replied smoothly, dodging a strike from his apprentice. He turned to her and used the Force to hold her in place. "You will cease this unnecessary attack immediately."

"No, you will die," she cried out. "I will have my revenge."

"We have bigger problems now," the Count replied, quietly.

"Anakin, go for help," the Chancellor stated seeming afraid. "He is a Sith Lord; you are no match for him."

Anakin smirked again, "Tell that to the Zabraak that Obi-Wan left in pieces on Naboo." Anakin Force pushed the Count so that Ventress was released. She looked at him with surprise in her eyes, but Anakin could not explain now. "Release the Chancellor," Anakin stated calmly, "And things won't have to get messy."

"Come now, drop your weapons gentleman, we wouldn't want to make a mess of things in front of the Chancellor." Anakin and Obi-Wan moved as one removing their robes and igniting their lightsabers. Anakin nodded as the Clone Troopers made a line in front of the Chancellor, removing the binders from the Chancellor and attempting to usher him from the room. More droids entered the room, and Rex set explosives to go off.

"Alright men, let's defend the Chancellor and find Senator Skywalker," Rex stated.

"Yes, Captain," the Troopers replied to their captain. They fought the battle droids that seemed to multiply, all the while protecting the Chancellor of the Republic.

"Where is my wife," Anakin asked Count Dooku in a dangerous, low voice. Count Dooku smiled despite the fact that he was fighting his apprentice and the two Jedi at her side had blue lightsabers ignited, despite the fact they hadn't attacked yet, he felt more confident. He shot a glance over at Darth Sidious, who frowned. Were things not going as planned? He admitted that he hadn't expected Ventress to arrive so soon, or be so bent against becoming his apprentice once more. So far Skywalker and Kenobi had only defended each other and his apprentice, but had yet to press the attack. He could sense the anger inside Skywalker being restrained somehow. He had never sensed this when facing Skywalker, what was the cause of it? The anger was there, but it was being controlled, harnessed into a tool of the light.

"Your wife is with the Jedi," Count Dooku replied, shooting lightning out with his fingertips at all three of them, Skywalker defended himself and Ventress and Obi-Wan smiled.

"Surprised my dear?" he asked.

"I will not surrender once our alliance is over," she replied. Anakin used the Force to jump and lift up both Obi-Wan and Ventress as the Count's lightsaber was hurled into the air.

"Who has my wife?"

"Surely you can sense her by now?" the Count asked. Anakin yearned to search for her presence but to do so was to put his men and Obi-Wan at risk, besides he could feel Ahsoka's battle meditation at work. "But of course. Would it surprise you to know that one of the Grand Masters of your order is now an agent of the Dark Side? I felt his turning, the dark side pulses with the mastery of such." Anakin shrugged, he would save her, and Force help whoever had her. Anakin became tired of the Count's games and began to press the attack.

Count Dooku picked up Obi-Wan and threw him against the hanger. Anakin yearned to check on him but he worked with Ventress, here and now they had to defeat the Count. Ventress jumped over his head, so that they were on either side of the Sith Lord with him between them. All at once, Palpatine stood up and began clapping. The Force spoke to Anakin, Ventress was important in its plans to reform the Jedi, and she would live. He pressed the attack when Ventress defended, and when he defended, Ventress pressed the attack. He had never liked her, but he was grateful to her for her help with Ahsoka.

"Kill him, Anakin. Kill him now," he heard the Chancellor say as he cut through the Count's arm.

"Do it!" Ventress said, as he reached through the Force and grabbed Dooku's lightsaber. "What are you waiting for? He's a traitor!" Anakin held his lightsabers in scissors above Count Dooku as he dropped all barriers to his mind between his apprentice, letting her observe what was happening through his eyes.

"I shouldn't…" he whispered, indecisively.

"Do it, Skywalker, you remember what he did to Ahsoka. Look at what he's done to your master," she replied pointing to where Obi-Wan lay prone on the floor. Anakin searched out and felt the presence of Padme in the Force. He had been telling the truth, she was with a familiar presence, a presence that felt somewhat tainted.

"It's not the Jedi thing to do," Anakin replied…not moving…he seemed enchanted somehow.

"You are no longer a Jedi," came Palpatine's voice.

"I'll give you one last chance, surrender," Anakin stated, not moving, as the blue and red lightsabers cast an almost purple glow over the Count.

"I surrender," the Count replied humbled.

"By Order of the Jedi Order and with authority from the Republic, you are under arrest," Anakin stated, disengaging his lightsabers. "It is against the Jedi Code to take the life of a helpless man," Anakin stated, helping the Count to his feet.

"NOOO! Jedi scum! I am not a Jedi! And I shall have my revenge!" Ventress screamed. She moved to strike but Anakin had ignited both lightsabers and was no defending the Sith Lord. "You know what he's done, Skywalker. You cannot allow him to live! He's threatened your wife, your Padawan, your master, and taken your arm! You cannot show that traitor mercy!"

"He will receive justice, but it is not within my power to grant him justice, he will have a fair trial," Anakin stated, easily overpowering her. "Join me, Ventress. The Jedi no longer follow the will of the Force. We must serve the Force; join me we do not have to become enemies."

"I will never join you!" she hurled and jumped into an escape pod. Anakin sighed, they would cross paths again. One way or another he would thank her for going to great lengths to protect Ahsoka, even at a cost to herself. Anakin felt the ship start to shake and he went to see to his friend.

"Obi-Wan," he questioned, searching for broken bones throughout the Force. "It's time to wake up, Master, I let you sleep long enough," he said and heard a faint laugh from his Master.

"Leave him," he heard the Chancellor say. "We will never make it. We must get off this ship. It's falling apart by the second."

"No, his fate will be the same as ours," he replied. Anakin was not going to allow anything to happen to anyone he cared about. Anakin felt strangely at peace, as if he had passed some sort of test that he hadn't studied for. More and more the Chancellor's behavior had concerned him, but Anakin brushed it off as a traumatic experience, after all Chancellor Palpatine wasn't used to battle. Obi-Wan stood up a little shakily.

"He's right, Anakin. We must vacate the ship. We must return to that bucket of bolts you call a ship." Anakin nodded.

"Artoo, contacted Ahsoka, have her activate the tractor beam." Anakin heard the beeps and whistles. "Captain Rex, are the men all here?"

"We lost Jaq, Sven, and Led," Captain Rex told him. "Some of the others are banged up a bit, but we'll manage as we always do."

"We'll see that they are honored," Anakin replied. "Let's return home boys," he replied as he felt Ahsoka pulling them closer. Now all they had to do was drop off the Chancellor and find Padme.


	24. Chapter 24

Tattooine

Master Mace Windu looked at the sandy planet of Tattooine. This was where it had all started, the beginning of the end. Master Qui-Gon had been wrong, Skywalker was not their Chosen One, he had unintentionally brought a Sith into their mist. It could not be chance that the existence of the Sith and the existence of that…boy had been discovered at the same time and on the same planet. Just how long had Maul been training Skywalker? He wondered to himself. He could almost feel the cry of the Dark Side of the Force from the planet itself. The wound that was on Tattooine. He had hoped that Senator Amidala would be willing to help him, but she was blinded by her….love and loyalty to Skywalker. Love? Mace Windu sneered at the thought, what did that Sith know of love. Master Windu knew of love, true love. The love of duty, the love of the Republic and of the Jedi. Skywalker and Amidala had no idea the true power of love. He had plans for Amidala, big plans.

"Help me, Senator, we can save democracy, we can save the Republic, the Jedi from my visions."

Padme looked up at Master Windu's words, his eyes were still glowing that strange color of his eyes, the same color she had seen before in the Chancellor's eyes, in the Sith Zabraak, and in Count Dooku's. Were they the eyes of the Dark Side? She prayed that she would never see her beloved eyes glow that sickly color. "I am doing everything in my power to save democracy and the Republic. You must know that I hold the Jedi in the highest respect," she replied a small smile on her face. "After all, I married one."

"SKYWALKER IS NOT A JEDI!" Master Windu screamed lifting her into the air with the Force. Padme felt fear prick her skin, not fear for herself, but that of her child, the innocent life inside her, and fear for her husband.

"No, he is not," she said calmly, controlling the fear inside her. "He left the Order, but you abandoned him. You don't see the man I see when I look at Ani," she continued even as she felt the Force close around her. It felt so different than when Anakin used it to help her, it felt dark, tainted, as if it was ready to strike her, force her to bend to the Jedi Master's will. "He is noble, and he is a good man. He has made many mistakes, but he always does what he feels is right, and just."

"And how does that explain his actions on Tattooine?"

"Anakin was overcome with grief; he had just lost his mother. He found her, he told me, beaten, bloody, near-death. She should have died weeks ago, she hung on for him. So that he could keep his promise to see her when he was a great Jedi. She had been starved, beaten, and perhaps even raped, and yet she held on for him. The love of a parent for a child is one that does not need or expect a reward. Anakin was the single focus of that love, she had carried him, given birth to him, suffered for him, and all he could do was watch as she struggled with her last words, as he held her for the last time as her life fled from her very being. Anakin was overcome with sadness and grief; you must give up this plot, Master Jedi. You accuse my husband of being of the Dark Side; just what are you doing now? You have allowed your sad devotion to the Jedi Order to twist your mind, to turn you into something you once vowed to destroy. You are no longer a Jedi, you no longer serve the Republic and you are corrupting the Jedi Order," she spoke confidently even as she watched the once great Jedi Master sneer, as his skin became darker, and all resemblance to the Jedi Master he had once been disappeared. She knew not who she was looking at. "You must turn back, or you are no better than what you accuse my husband of."

"I AM the CHOSEN ONE!" he snarled, punching her in the face again.

"And your precious code?" she asked, spitting out blood, as she was dropped to her feet. "Does it not mention protecting the innocent or harming them? Are you not breaking a precious tenet of your forsaken Code? My husband told me of the Code, Master Jedi," she called him although he no longer resembled the Jedi she had seen prior to the war. "There is no passion," she recited for him. "There is peace."

"You are a fool, Senator! It is only with my new powers that I can save the Jedi."

"From what? From change? Change, Master Windu comes to us all in its time." Without warning he grabbed her and slung her over his back.

"He will come for you, and we will see who will win. I hope you are prepared to be a widow." Senator Amidala Skywalker worried over the fate of her husband and unborn child, as she could slowly sense the Force inhibitors losing their effect on her.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked.

"It is not so much the destination, but the journey. Skywalker and I will fight and at last prove who is the Chosen One."

"Anakin is the Chosen One."

"So the prophecy says. We cannot allow him to live. I have read the prophecy, Skywalker will leave the Galaxy in darkness, and that I cannot allow. He will not even realize what he has done until its too late. This is the only outcome, I really don't have a choice," he added, leading her to the Tuskan Village that had been massacred. Even Padme was distraught at the number of skeletons that surrounded the Tuskan village, although she knew Anakin's mother was not among them. Padme thought again about her blaster, but he was a Jedi and her blaster would be no match against such a master. She bit down on his hand when he grabbed for her though, and earned another slap across the cheek for her efforts. She would not willingly become a victim, or allow her husband to be trapped. "I do not want to harm you, Senator."

"I see no one pulling your strings, Windu. There is always a choice. I made mine, Anakin made his, and you have made yours. You are no longer an upstanding member of the Order you hold dear, but there is always a choice, you can still come back. It's not too late. Don't do this," she implored him, but found herself tied as Shmni must have been. She closed her eyes as tears slipped from there. How horrible was his plan for Anakin to find her in the exact spot as his mother, in the same situation, what would this do to her beloved Jedi Knight?


	25. Twilight

Twilight

Once Anakin, Obi-Wan, the Clone Troopers, Dooku and Palpatine were safely inside the _Twilight_, they ejected Grevious's flagship into space. Chancellor Palpatine had secured himself, isolating himself from the Clone Troopers. Anakin turned to Count Dooku, "You will obey my commands until we reach Coruscent," he told him. "Fives, Echo, I want you to guard him at all times. Cody, I want you to keep an eye on the Chancellor, we wouldn't want the Count to decide to finish the job he started," Anakin replied. "Jesse, go with him," Anakin added as a second thought, in his General voice, as Ahsoka called it. Anakin turned to Ahsoka. "Snips, I'm very proud of you," he said.

"And I'm proud of you. Ventress, I can believe but for the Chancellor to taunt you that way, it worries me that the Chancellor wanted you to murder Dooku."

"Murder?" Anakin repeated, even though he had known it was wrong, he hadn't put a word to it. Murder, was that what the Chancellor and Ventress had urged him to do. He had felt the call but had resisted throughout his bond with Ahsoka. He could not allow Ahsoka to believe that he would kill a helpless man. Yes, the Count had the Force but Anakin had saw a beaten, broken, betrayed man and he had to wonder what had brought the Count to this place? Yes, the Sith Lord had taunted him, but the call to answer felt dimmer than it once had? Count Dooku had once been a respected Jedi Master and Qui-Gon's master at that. The look on Count Dooku's face when the Chancellor all but ordered his death. Something about that look bothered him. Anakin turned to his master. "Are you alright, Master?" he asked.

"Just a bump on the head, Anakin."

"Kix, please take a look at General Kenobi," Anakin stated.

"Yes, sir," Kix replied, gathering his supplies. Obi-Wan frowned, even as his eyes twinkled.

"I'm going to get you for this one," Obi-Wan told his former padawan.

"Master, Count Dooku threw you against the wall, at the least you have a mild concussion from what I can tell," Anakin stated, probing him with the Force. "I know how much you detest medbays, but please Master, I'm going to need you to help me find my wife. She's….on Tattooine," Anakin added, searching out her presence. She had better not be hurt, he thought, as fear and anger ran through him. He took a deep breath and released most of both into the Force, at least until he had his emotions under control.

"Tattoine, Master?" Ahsoka asked.

"Stop following me around you fool," Anakin heard the Chancellor say.

"We have orders, Your Excellency," he heard Cody say.

"I am the Supreme Chancellor of the Republic, do your orders not come from me?" the Chancellor replied, as Anakin narrowed his eyes.

"These orders are for your own protection, your Excellency. I don't believe you grasp the seriousness of the situation," Jesse argued, respectfully.

"I don't take Orders from Clones…or Jedi, you take Orders from me," he snapped, sneering at them. Anakin strode forward.

"Jesse, Cody, give the Chancellor some air. Cody, I believe Obi-Wan would like to see you. Jesse and I can guard the Chancellor. Send Tup in here when you get a chance," he added. Anakin turned to the Chancellor. "Jesse and Cody were guarding you on **my **Orders, Your Excellency. There is still a Sith Lord in custody that recently tried to have you killed," Anakin said, bowing slightly.

"If you had destroyed him then there wouldn't be," he snapped, a little irritable. "Forgive me, my boy, but you could have ended this war. I'm tired of the fighting, I just want peace, my boy, can you understand that?"

Anakin nodded. "Perhaps you should see a therapist when you return; I would hate to think that you could crack upon the horrors of this war. I will do everything within my power to end the war. You have my word of honor, but I will not murder a defenseless man."

"Dooku is hardly defenseless, my boy."

"My order stands."

"I can make destroying him an Order."

"When have I ever followed Orders?" Anakin asked. "And Chancellor, my Clones are people too, they are just numbers, they are my men, I would fight for them and bleed for them."

"That may be required," Palpatine stated, and he could feel his prize slipping away. He had to hope that Barriss and Mace would have better luck in helping Anakin slip back into the darkness. Anakin bowed and took his leave.

"Ahsoka," Anakin called and she came to his side. When had he stopped referring to her as Snips? When he had lost her and she had returned because of his training. He had never been so proud of her. It felt almost like they were equals, and he could trust her to handle herself, he no longer felt an insane desire to protect her, she could handle herself. "Come with me," he replied. He was going to question Dooku. "Rex, inform General Kenobi that I'm going to interrogate the Count, and send Kix to look after the Count, I'm afraid negotiations with the Count got a little aggressive," Anakin replied as he and Ahsoka headed toward the Count.

"I don't doubt it, sir. Will do," Captain Rex saluted and went to find Kix and General Kenobi. Anakin and Ahsoka headed toward Fives, Echo, and Boil who were currently guarding the Count.

"Boil, Fives, Echo," Anakin addressed each of them. "I am here to interrogate the prisoner. Allow Kix in to bandage the prisoner," he added.

"Sir, yes, sir."

"Has he given you any trouble?" Anakin asked, holding a small med pack under his arm. "Fives, see what you can do about getting the Count some food. Our objective is not to starve him."

"Yes, sir," Fives added. Anakin knew that he was being overly cautious but as the Chancellor stated, he was a Sith Lord. Anakin took off his mechanical glove and handed it to Ahsoka who in turn handed it to Boil.

"Try not to lose this," she teased, as she followed her master into the room.

"Count Dooku, you remember my padawan, Ahsoka Tano."

"Yes, of course, I would shake your hand, but I appear to be missing mine," the Count stated, looking at Skywalker.

"What do you want?" he asked as Anakin took a seat, motioning for his Padawan to do the same. "You cannot mean to think that some Jedi trick will work on me."

"No, I am not a Jedi of the old Order. Relax, you aren't completely wrong about them," Anakin stated, before handing him the ice pack. "A gesture of good will, if you will," Anakin added, as the Count looked at the pack suspiciously and reluctantly accepted it. "The Jedi and the Sith have both fallen off the path, fallen far from the Will of the Force," Anakin continued. "Many years ago, the Jedi and the Sith were one," Anakin paused as he waited for it to sink in.

"You wish for me to train you in the ways of the Sith?" the Count asked.

"If I am the Chosen One, I hardly need it do I?" Anakin asked, fixing him with a patronizing gaze.

"I once thought that I, and I alone could destroy the Sith. That was many years ago," Count Dooku stated.

"Do you require representation or will you speak to me?" Anakin asked before he delved deeper into conversation with the Sith Lord. "Jedi, Sith, they are but titles between us," Anakin stated, standing. "You were once Master Qui-Gon's master. You taught him of the prophecy?"

"Yes, Qui-Gon was a maverick; he was almost obsessed with the Jedi prophecies. Especially the one of the Chosen One. He suffered greatly for his affinity toward the Living Force."

"Qui-Gon never spoke of you to me."

"You knew him for what a handful of days….a week, and you think you knew him? Ha!"

"He made quite an impression on me," Anakin admitted. "He saved me from slavery, I owe him my life," Anakin replied humbly.

"What is it you desire from me, Skywalker; you wish to hear that I once was a Jedi, that I believed in the Jedi Code? That I felt the call of the Sith, that perhaps, I once too, held the galaxy by the throat? That for every good dead I did, I brought equal harm upon the galaxy? What would it matter now? You already know all of this."

"Tell me about your master," Anakin heard from the doorway, to find Obi-Wan and Kix standing behind him.

"I wasn't lying on Genosis." Count Dooku stated. "To end this war, you must destroy him."

"You know his identity?" Ahsoka asked. "You must tell us."

"These discussions are too much for the ears of younglings. Send her away and I will tell you what I know," the Count replied while Kix bandaged his hand. Kix also noticed that General Skywalker was missing his glove.


	26. Chapter 26

Conversations

Master Kit Fitso met with his friend Master Plo Kloon who had stayed in the archieves long past the Council's vote. "There is no doubt, my friend, Anakin is the Chosen One," he explained. "All the elements are there, the Dark One must be the Sith Lord we were looking for. We must discover his identity, as much as I would like to go with you, deciphering this prophecy stands at being equally as impotant. Anakin was born on a planet of twin suns, with no father, he has been protected throughout this war by Little 'Soka and Obi-Wan Kenobi, he is married to Senator Amidala, and she is expecting his child, the Son of Suns," Master Plo explained, pointing to specific phrases in the prophecy.

"What about this Dark One, you don't believe Master Windu has something to do with it?" Kit asked.

"I don't know, my friend, but I would hate for the Chosen One to fall. It would mean that we would have to wait for his son to save him, and I for one do not wish to see the Galaxy plunged into darkness on account of the Dark One," Plo continued. "Do what you can to save Senator Amidala, without her child we will never stand a chance to returning to the light. I believe this Dark One will reveal himself at the end of the war, we must be prepared to act, and ensure that Anakin doesn't fall."

"Agreed."

"May the Force be with you," Master Plo told his friend.

"You'll need it more than I," Kit stated. "And with you." Master Plo watched as Kit assembled his Clone Troopers and made a call to a rogue Jedi he knew. Master Kota. Master Plo smiled, yes, they would both need all the help they could get. Master Plo had sensed the new presence in the Force along with the rest of the Jedi, but he knew the source the moment he had been face to face with Senator Amidala. He knew that many Jedi feared Skywalker, and he remembered Anakin's fear over Ahsoka, it was why he had reached out to him when she had been lost, to offer what comfort he could to the Jedi Knight. Master Plo needed to meet with Master Yoda. He quickly uploaded the information onto his datapad and went to find Master Yoda who was as usually in his meditation chambers.

"Master Yoda," Master Plo bowed respectfully. "You know of the prophecy."

"A prophecy that misread could have been."

"And the Dark One."

"Too much at change there is, a shifting in the Force."

"We have all felt it. You are a wise Jedi," Master Plo continued. "I will always serve the Jedi, and the Force," Master Plo continued. "Perhaps, it wasn't misread just misinterpated."

"A Jedi, Skywalker should be, the prophecy never says."

"Is Qui-Gon the keeper of the prophecy?"

"A wise Jedi, Qui-Gon was. Spoke with him, I have."

"Qui-Gon believed in Skywalker. He believed he should be a Jedi. Skywalker will change the Jedi."

"Perhaps, right you are. At what cost, created the rules of attachment I did."

"There was a time that it was useful. That time is over."

"Perhaps, wrong I have been. Changes in the Force, worry me they do. Hope I do, that safe Senator Amidala is."

"Senator Skywalker," Master Plo corrected.

"Right you are. But change you think the Jedi can?"

"We thought the Jedi were extinct," Master Plo reminded the Grand Master. "Yet they perservered. We thought they were extinct, yet the discovery of Qui-Gon proved us wrong. They survived, and spread the darkness, we have been content in our ways, never changing and never looking beyond. The Chosen One and the Son of Suns was created by the Force to change and save the Jedi, not destroy it."

"Perhaps, right you are. At an end my life nearly is. Pass into the will of the Force I will, when born the Son of Suns is." Master Plo understood Master Yoda's reluntance for change, for attachments. "Take my place as Grandmaster you will and assist Skywalker with his Order."

Master Plo bowed his head respectfully and went to call on the Council members, one by one.

Master Kit Fitso and Master Kota spoke at length with what Master Plo had revealed. It surprised him how quick the older man had agreed.

"I had been thinking that with some time. These Clones of yours are they loyal?" Master Kota asked, seemingly unconcerned with all that had been said.

"Yes."

"How can you trust an army of one man?" the old man barked, motioning to his own militia.

"They are all unique," Master Fitso argued. "They have been bred for loyalty."

"But loyalty to whom?" Master Kota asked as Master Windu's beacon was located. They had knew he was in the outer rim, but Master Kit feared the implications of just where he was. It reeked of a dark side plot.

"They are loyal to the Republic," Kit replied. The air of the dark side seemed to snap before them.

"Master Windu has fallen to the Dark Side, we can only pray we aren't to late to help Skywalker's bride."

"Duel one of our own?" Kit asked.

"Yep," Master Kota replied, as the planet they had been searching for came into view and they requested permission to dock. They had been granted the rights to use Tattooine during the war, and Master Kit wasn't surprised when he was able to dock. "Have you ever wondered about all the slaves here?"

"You've spoken with Skywalker on the subject."

"It's a very touchy subject, but it's one he and I have spoken regually about. The Council has always and continues to ignoring the suffering of the people."

"Could we change that?"

"Not without a lot of credits. This war is bankrupting the Republic as it is. We cannot just rescue them with the transmittors in their bodies," Kota replied. The moment they stepped onto the planet, the wound of the Force hit them. Many lives had been lost here. They were suffering, pain, and grief here.

"This is where his mother died?" Kit asked.

"Yes, can you not sense it?" Kota responded. Kit nodded as he followed the darkness to find Senator Skywalker tied up, appearing broken and bloody. They had ordered their troops to scatter as the militia fought with the clones. Kota and Kit faced Mace alone.

"You are deafened."

"No, at last I hear," Master Windu responded to the Senator.

"You are blind."

"At last I see."

"You have fallen to the Dark Side. You are no better than that Count Dooku or the Zabrak, the Sith are what have caused the horrors of the war…and now you have joined their ranks."

"Perhaps I will, when your husband lays dead at my feet, and I prove once and for all who is the One Jedi, who is the Chosen One."

"Let her go," Master Kota said, stepping out from the shadows.

"You have fallen prey to the Darkness the surrounds the Galaxy, we can help you," Master Kit explained. "Let Senator Skywalker go. She has done you no harm." They came closer with their hands extended in a guesture of good faith, but Master Windu ignited his purple blade and stood in front of her.

"To get her, you will have to get through me."

"We cannot just leave. We are here with permission from Master Yoda to bring you back. You have not fallen so far, that you cannot be redeemed."

"Redeem this!" Master Windu shouted as he slashed toward Master Kota, even as the blind Jedi ignited his blue lightsaber and Kit fell into fighting stance, his lightsaber ignited at once.

"It doesn't have to be this way."

"Then LEAVE! I will give you no other chance! You will not spoil my plans!"


	27. Revelations

Revelations

"Fine, fine, I'm going, I'm going," Ahsoka said, "But I'm not going far. If you need me Master…"

"I'll call you," Anakin finished with a small smile. "Kix, check on the Chancellor and arrange for a therapist on our return to Coruscent, I fear that he's been traumatized by this ordeal. He doesn't seem quite like himself," Anakin spoke more to himself than to Kix.

"Yes, sir."

Anakin waited for Ahsoka and Kix to leave. "You have my full attention, Count." Obi-Wan nodded. "Once we return to Coruscent, I will see you fitted with a hand like this," Anakin held out his hand for the Count to see. "I guess I should thank you, you allowed me to pass my Trials," he smiled. "I will see you are taken care of."

"Which hand do you normally use?" the Count asked.

"My right one, why?"

"Because you seem to favor the left one."

"Because some idiot cut off my other one, but it appears we are equals now."

"You are arrogant, Skywalker. You are over confident in your abilities. It is a flaw shared by many that turn to the Dark Side; I know that you have felt the call, the pull of the dark side." Anakin's eyes narrowed.

"Your mother's death was not the Tuskans idea; did you never wonder why they took her?" Count Dooku asked. "True they were animals, but they weren't mindless beasts, the things they did usually had a reason to them. Yet, the capture of your mother did not," he said slowly, his aristocratic voice, lulling them with the cadence of his words. Anakin understood why thousands of star systems had followed him.

"So you are telling me my mother's death, before the war was a calculated attack on me?" Anakin asked his voice dangerously low. "Why?"

"Is it not obvious?" Count Dooku asked. "My master wishes to have the Chosen One on his side, he wishes you to serve the Dark Side."

"The dark side doesn't impress me; it holds no allure to me." The Count looked at him. Anakin was struggling with his emotions…and winning.

"I do believe you believe that. I know you touched the dark Side. My master, Lord Sidious, orchestrated the entire war, for you. You should feel grateful." The color left Anakin's face, allowing him to sink into his chair.

"This war…was for my benefit. All the death….the horrors…" Anakin was stunned. Obi-Wan spoke softly.

"And who is this Dark 'Lord?" Obi-Wan asked.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you. My master has always had a talent for hiding in plain sight."

"And he plans on turning Anakin…to the Dark Side. He manipulated the Tuskans to destroy Anakin's mother, so that Anakin could touch the Dark Side, and the attempted assassination of Senator Amidala."

"I hired Jango Fett," Dooku admitted.

"You…I thought his name was Tyrannus?"

"One and the same," Obi-Wan frowned, this was disturbing.

"And the Clones?"

"Are loyal to the Republic."

"You mean to the politicians?" Obi-Wan asked, and was rewarded with a shrug.

"Come now, Skywalker, surely you know that you are already lost. Come, come, what is it that Master Yoda already says?"

"It…was a moment of weakness," Anakin stated, looking at Master Obi-Wan, "I wanted to tell you. I murdered them for what they had done. I…shouldn't have….and I knew it. I just couldn't help myself." Count Dooku laughed. Anakin's face turned scarlet. "I promised never to touch the Dark Side again, I wasn't sorry that the Tuskans were dead, but I was sorry I had given in to the Dark Side, even for a moment. I knew you would be disappointed. I deserve any punishment the Council hands out, but Obi-Wan my wife is innocent. I cannot allow harm to come to her."

"She will die before this war is over. My master will not allow her to live."

"Anakin, it will be alright," Obi-Wan told him. "You are much calmer, you are accepting responsibility. I will not allow the darkness to claim you. You have my word," Obi-Wan turned to the Count. "Even you can be saved; the choice is yours alone, Dooku." Obi-Wan pulled his friend along with him, and as they passed Palpatine bumped into Anakin and for a split second Obi-Wan thought he saw the Chancellor's eyes flash yellow. Could it be….it didn't bare thinking about…the Chancellor was Anakin's friend, his mentor….and yet….Obi-Wan led Anakin to a bunk and put him into a sleeping trance. Anakin hadn't slept since he had learned his wife had been taken. "Kix, inform me the moment General Skywalker wakes up," he told him.

He left Ahsoka and Rex along with Kix watching over him as Obi-Wan closed his eyes and masked his Force presence. Then, he snuck back toward the Count and waited. The Force was telling him if he waited he would see. As he watched the Clones seemed to have fallen asleep guarding the Count, and the Clones that had been guarding Palpatine disappeared. Palpatine entered a code and the ray shield holding the Count disappeared as Palpatine walked into the room. As Palpatine entered Count Dooku kneeled.

"What is your bidding, my master?"

"Get up, you insolent fool," came the voice of the dark. "What. Have. You. Done?" it asked the words punctuating the darkness. "All our plans, ruined. What did you tell the Jedi?" the word was spat in a voice Obi-Wan had never heard.

"I told them enough to keep them guessing, to lure them into the darkness, my lord. I would never expose you."

"You told Skywalker and Kenobi."

"You ordered him to kill me!"

"You fool! All lives can pay the forfeit, only Skywalker is fit as ruler of the Sith dynasty, heir to my Empire. It's too soon, and you shall pay!" Without warning Force lightning shot out and hit the Count. "You shall pay for your lack …..of vision." Obi-Wan stood there, rooted to the spot, unable to move, unable to act. Surely, this was some terrible nightmare that he would awake from at any moment.

Lord Sidious was not happy! He had felt the change in the Force as Skywalker became lost to him for good. No matter what, he would not turn. The shifting futures that let him rule did so only with Skywalker's death. He could no longer be converted. There was only one future he could be converted, and that was to threaten his younglings, and he would have to wait until they were born and the bond with them was strong enough to cause him to offer anything for their survival.

Sidious cursed Obi-Wan Kenobi. There had been a moment when he had thought he would have him, but Kenobi, that Jedi had enough good luck to make one believe in luck, had pulled him back. Even with the death of Kenobi, he would not turn. And having to wait ensured that wretched Senator's survival. For she was now pregnant with the only instrument of turning Skywalker. Even with the death of Skywalker there were the Jedi brats that could destroy him. Everything was precarious. It was why, despite his better judgment he had tricked the Clones and snuck into see his apprentice. He could not afford any more mistakes. He ceased the lightning, and grabbed the Count by the throat. He was so enraged that the mask slipped. When he had bumped into Anakin and felt the pure light on him, he hadn't been able to do anything but sneer, for he knew that both Windu and Barriss would fail him. Windu could become an able apprentice, if he would survive he duel with Skywalker. Dooku had outlived his usefulness; he only kept him alive to take the fall. "You have failed me," he intoned, raking his nails across the Count's skin, eliciting a groan of pain. "You have no idea what I am capable of, a smart master does not teach his slave all his tricks." 

Asleep in the medbay, Anakin heard words that seemed apart of another life. 'Slave.' They whispered to him. The Force was taking him into its nest, as it alluded to darkness and light. Anakin felt darkness all around him. 'I told you it would come to this, the Jedi are taking over.' Dream Anakin didn't move. 'I can help save her; only through me can you save your wife from imminent death.'

'I can't lose her,' Dream Anakin stated, as he moved reflexively swinging his lightsaber to save the hooded one. Anakin eyes widened at the death he had brought on. He dropped to his knees as he realized the seriousness of what he had done. 'What have I done?" he asked, but the Dark One placed his hand on Anakin's shoulders, and Anakin couldn't get over the feeling he should recognize the Dark One.

'You are fulfilling your destiny. Join me, become my apprentice and together we can discover a way to save the ones you love.'

'But….' Dream Anakin didn't say the words that were in Anakin's head, this wasn't his destiny, and this wasn't the destiny of Anakin Skywalker, of the Chosen One, of the Hero with No Fear. This was wrong. 'I can't lose her, I will do whatever you ask, just help me save her. I can't live without her.' The Dark One smiled as Anakin's next words cemented him in darkness. 'I pledge myself to your teachings; I will do whatever you ask. My life for hers.'

'Arise, Lord Vader. I believe that you are the only Jedi to know of this plot. Every Jedi, including your friend, Obi-Wan Kenobi is now a traitor of the Republic. Do what must be done, Lord Vader, only through bloodshed will you have the power to save her and your child.'

'I believe the Jedi's next attack will be upon the Senate' Anakin heard his voice, but it didn't sound like his voice. It seemed cold, devoid of emotion. Anakin pulled his cloak over his head as he addressed the Clone Troopers. 'The Jedi are traitors to the Republic,' he stated. 'They have attempted to assassinate our Supreme Chancellor, we cannot let such treason stand. It is why I have selected you, as the best of all our warriors, to accompany me to the Jedi Temple to aid in the punishment of the traitors. I know you will not fail me.' And Lord Vade marched, his lightsaber clipped to his belt as he directed the Clones on where and how to kill a Jedi, on their weaknesses. He ignited his blade as he and his troops were one. They destroyed the Jedi, their causalities swam and Vader felt the power engulfing him as he stretched out his hand and choked to Master Jedi feeling the blood rushing in their veins and the stop of their heart. Anakin sat up with a start, tears soaking his face.

"Master, are you okay?" he heard and looked up into Ahsoka's face. He held out his arms and she hugged him. "Master, what's wrong?" she asked concerned.

"I…" Anakin could feel her reaching through their bond, and he hurried trying to shut the mental length but he was too late. She froze in his arms, as she looked into his eyes." I…..I'm so…..sorry, Snips," he choked out wordlessly drowning in his emotion.

"It was just a dream, a trick by the Dark Side, we must find this Dark One, and stop him. He is behind it, Anakin," she stated, and he nodded. The pain was so much. "Release it, Master," she stated as she turned to Rex.

"My dreams…they always come true."

"This one won't. I promise, Master," Anakin nodded, and took a deep breathe, releasing the grief, the anger, the sadness, the guilt. "You haven't done those things. You aren't capable of that."

Anakin nodded, wondering if she was right, the darkness that had disappeared from him, was back tenfold in that dream. Was it just the thoughts of the Tuskan Village that brought on the nightmare, or something more, was there a part of him that could destroy the Jedi, a part of him that yearned to let the Darkness in his soul free? A part of him that would do anything to save Padme…and any future child of theirs. He had been afraid not just for Padme but for a child. Anakin searched out her presence and he felt the brightness, the hope there. She had to be okay. She just had to be. She was his life, she was his light. The fact that he had at first thought her to be an angel, was not by coincidence, but by the light, the spirit within her.


	28. Chapter 28

Return to Coruscent

"What did you tell them," Sidious stated, in a voice that made Obi-Wan's skin crawl. Obi-Wan watched the undignified way the Count seemed to gasp and plead.

"I told them they would never believe me, you know I live to serve you, and the Dark Side, the Jedi will not win, and the boy may still be within our grasp, Master."

"Perhaps, there is but one chance, and I cannot tolerate failure."

"I will do whatever you ask. I am loyal to you, my Lord Sidious." Obi-Wan frowned, and began stroking his mustache. He had never seen Sidious before and as of yet, they hadn't spotted him. How long could this last? The Count was groveling, begging for mercy he didn't bestow on his own victims. "They will never guess, even I who know, have trouble believing it."

"I must leave, we are nearing Coruscent," the Sith Master intoned, and Obi-Wan ducked into a room, only realizing when he was there that he was in the janitor's closet. Real smooth, Kenobi, he told himself. What did this mean….Anakin's closest non-Jedi non-spouse friend was….the Sith Lord. Obi-Wan wished he could speak to Qui-Gon, he understood more of the prophecy than Obi-Wan ever had. Obi-Wan had pretty much ignored his master when he brought up the prophecy, even before their mission to Naboo. Master Qui-Gon had trained him in the ways of the Living Force, contradicting Master Yoda's words of the Unifying Force. It was for this reason, Qui-Gon had picked up beings that Obi-Wan had considered pathetic life forms. He regretted thinking the same of young Anakin. As if thinking of him had called him to you he heard a voice he hadn't heard in over ten years.

"Obi-Wan, I was right about you, I always knew you would make a wonderful Jedi, you have come so much farther than I could ever imagine." Obi-Wan stared at Qui-Gon.

"How is this possible?"

"You know by now, my old padawan, that with the Force all things are possible. I have come with a message; you must keep the Chancellor's secret. Anakin cannot afford any distractions against Darth Wrath, who you know as Mace Windu. The lives of Padme and the children could be at risk. The Force does not wish for their lives to be cut short before they have even begun."

"Yes, Master, but for how long?"

"Until the time is right, you will know Obi-Wan," Master Qui-Gon said as he disappeared. Obi-Wan nodded, it couldn't have been easy for Master Quo-Gon to appear but he had. It had been so long since he had last seen his old Master; he had forgotten the resemblance between his master and his padawan. They both dwarfed him, they both had blue eyes, and blondish-brown hair even though Qui-Gon's held more than a few streaks of gray. Obi-Wan shook his head and went to find Anakin. He had been told by the Admiral that they were nearing Coruscent now. Palpatine was Sidious. He would have to inform the Jedi so they could take steps to protect democracy insuring that the galaxy didn't erupt in utter chaos, it was the worst news he had heard since the return of the Sith. He put up extra blocks on his bond between Anakin, before Qui-Gon appeared once more.

"That won't do at all, Obi-Wan," he frowned. "He'll be suspicious." Qui-Gon touched Obi-Wan's head, veiling the memory to be set free when the time was right. He once again disappeared, leaving Obi-Wan stroking his beard and looking perplexed. The bond between him and Anakin flared with life. Obi-Wan found himself near Anakin, Anakin's face in his hands, as tears leaked from his eyes.

"What's wrong with him?" Obi-Wan asked Ahsoka.

"He had a nightmare."

"No wonder," Obi-Wan replied, as he touched Anakin's shoulder, the visions flaring through their bond. "Anakin, that's not you," he watched as Anakin slowly turned toward him.

"It's a part of me, the same part that destroyed the Tuskans on Tattooine," Anakin replied.

"No, Anakin, look at me. You are a good man; you are a hero of the Republic. You are the best of us, and that's why the Dark Lord targeted you, because if the best of us can fall, what hope is there for the rest of us?"

Anakin smiled at him, and released the rest of his negative emotions within the Force, feeling lighter once again. "Let's return the Chancellor and Dooku to Coruscent." Anakin turned and stalked toward the Count. "Dooku, follow me," he stated as Obi-Wan, Ahsoka, and their men followed behind. "I'm only taking a small group with me to search for my wife. The rest of you may stay on Coruscent or return to Kamino, you are no good to be when you need rest," Anakin stated as he led Dooku to the Jedi Temple. Master Plo greeted them at the Jedi Temple.

"Welcome back Anakin, Obi-Wan, Little 'Soka," he said with genuine warmth. He looked at them, and remembered the prophecy. The Chosen One, the Protector, and the Guardian, Plo named off in his head. He looked behind Anakin to the Chancellor and Count Dooku. "I will send an escort with you…we received Skywalker's message about how distressed you are."

"I am not distressed; I am the leader of the Republic."

"Nonetheless, you will be escorted," Master Plo said as he nodded at the Jedi guards to escort him. "And, Master Dooku, how good it is to see you, now that we are no longer on opposing sides of the War," Master Plo continued. "I see that you are injured, you will be taken care of," he placed a hand on his shoulder, and Count Dooku looked on in surprise.

"That's a title I have answered to in more years than I care to remember."

"Perhaps, it's time you did," Master Plo stated. "You will be tried by the Jedi, not the Senate. We won't make that mistake again," Master Plo stated, looking at Ahsoka. "I apologize that your accommodations will not be the same as they were before, however, under the circumstances, Master Dooku, I'm sure you understand." Master Plo nodded as Jedi came forward to escort him. "I will be around to visit soon. Now, Skywalker, we have made contact with Master Kota's men. They have engaged Master Windu."

"Master Windu has Padme?" Anakin asked, wondering what had happened to the Jedi Master and why he seemed to have it out for him.

"Yes. Do you require anything?" he asked his young friend. "Rest, refreshments?"

"No, thank you, Master Plo," Anakin replied. "I rested on the trip."

"You look tired," Master Plo commented.

"I'll be fine when my wife is safe at home where she belongs," Anakin stated stubbornly. "What could Master Windu want with her?"

"The report is that Master Windu has gone quite…mad. It's not entirely unexpected with his pupils fallen to the Dark Side, and Vapaad, I admit I had hoped…perhaps, he can still be redeemed. I would surmise that you would like to give your report on your way to Tattooine, so may the Force be with you." Anakin nodded and smiled at the understanding.

"A full report when I return, I promise. Ahsoka, you are to remain here with Master Plo," Anakin stated, and Plo frowned and hesitated, should he allow the Chosen One to be separated from the Protector.

"I insist that Obi-Wan accompany you," Master Plo added.

"Of course, Master Plo," Anakin bowed as he went to secure the small band of Clones he would be taking with him. Hold on, Padme, he told her through the Force. Hold on for me, I'm coming for you.


	29. Anakin's Story

Anakin's story

Anakin looked out at his men before takeoff. He had chosen only the best. Obi-Wan would be coming with him, and Commander Cody and Boil, and from his own squadron he would be carrying Kix, his medic, Captain Rex, Jesse, Fives, Echo, and Alpha, bringing their total to two Jedi and eight Clones, it was overkill as it was. He headed toward the military transport to debrief them although they all knew what the mission entailed, Anakin had secured the small stealth cruiser, it was always one of his favorites, and one that he had made quite a bit of upgrades to. Anakin turned at the sound of footsteps.

"Master," Ahsoka said, seemingly out of breathe. "You need me on this one." Anakin looked at his padawan, contemplating the pros and cons of having her on the mission.

"Ahsoka, you don't understand," he said, shaking his head. "Master Windu has fallen to the Dark Side…and this is personal," Anakin finished. "I'm sorry, Snips."

"I care about her too," Ahsoka replied, surprising Anakin. "I have protected her, guarded her, and we have become friends. I don't pretend to know what you feel for her, Master, but I need to make sure she's safe as well." Anakin was touched by his padawan's feelings toward his wife. "Please, Master, I can protect her while you apprehend Master Windu. This is something I feel I have to do." Anakin finally nodded.

"Alright, Snips come on. Besides, I have a feeling if I tried to stop you, you'd find a way to be on this mission," Anakin said with a smirk, "Welcome aboard, Ahsoka." Ahsoka smiled, thinking of the prophecy Master Plo had mentioned to her. She had to be with Anakin, there was no doubt about it. She had meant those words; she carried about Padme as well. "Alright, men, you know how important this mission is. I don't need to remind you what is at stake," Anakin's voice slipped out of general mode as he mentioned the one thing that kept him breathing, "My wife. Padme…" and then his General voice continued, "Master Windu has kidnapped her. This is a rescue mission. I repeat this is a rescue mission, although I value each of you beyond words, do not engage Master Windu, he has become our enemy and I do not intend to sacrifice any of you. Let's go men," Anakin repeated as they entered the stealth ship he had named _Skywalker_ even if it was a bit conceited.

"Alright, Boil, prepare to enter lightspeed. Cody, set our coordinates for Tattooine."

"This is kind of like going home for you isn't it, Master?" Anakin ignored her, and then sighed; she would need to know about his past sooner or later. He waited for lightspeed to commence.

"Entering lightspeed in 6…..5…..4…..3….2…1," Boil stated and Anakin nodded, looking from Ahsoka to Obi-Wan, Obi-Wan nodded at Anakin. It was time to tell her, if he didn't Windu would. Anakin watched as lightspeed passed by quickly.

"When Master Plo found you and brought you to the Order, how old were you?"

"I was just a youngling," Ahsoka stated, a little confused.

"I was nine, too old to train," Anakin added, the old hurt back into his voice. "Master Qui-Gon found me on Tattooine, it was where I was raised but it wasn't my home. My mother and I were given our own quarters but our master, Watto, had always intended to purchase more slaves," Anakin stated, absentmindedly, the memories of his mother standing out sharply, now that he was going back to Tattooine, the memories of his mother and his short life there more vivid than usual.

"You were a slave?" Anakin frowned at the shock in her voice, it reminded him of Padme.

"My mother was taken captive before I was born, separated from her family. She was only fourteen when that happened," he said, remembering the stories his mother had once told him. "She was sold into slavery, and once a slave, it is difficult to become free." Ahsoka started to say something, but changed her mind. "You can't escape either, they implant slave transmitters inside your body, Anakin still knew where his had been, inside his right arm, that had been cut off by Count Dooku. "There are worse things than being a slave," he stated. Obi-Wan frowned; he knew being a slave was still a touchy subject for him. "When Mom and I first arrived on Tattooine, there was an uprising by some of the slaves…" Anakin spoke slowly, trying to push the memories away, it made him feel like he was still a four-year old slave, not the great Jedi General he was, as if all the years between then and now fell away, and he was nothing but something that would be killed if they wouldn't have to make up the difference of his worth. "Some of them ran out of range of their transmitter, and they blew up," Anakin remembered. "Mom tried to shield me from it, but I saw it anyway."

"How old were you, Master?" Ahsoka asked.

"I was four," Anakin stated absently, "My mother told me that night, that there are some things worth dying for, but that you can live with being a slave, as long as you have something to hope for," Anakin frowned, thinking of his mother. Even Obi-Wan was shocked at the depth of Shmni's advice to her son, she had taught Anakin that above all he must survive. He wondered if she had guessed at Anakin's importance. "Watto took notice of my mechanical skills, it seemed as if I could see the way they were supposed to be put together and it didn't take me long to make them match the image in my hand. I now know that was the Force," Anakin added, leaning back. "When I was about six, a damaged podracer came in, and I was able to fix it. When Watto wasn't looking I took it out for a spin, Mom was so afraid for me, and even more afraid when Watto found out. I didn't realize that humans couldn't podrace, even though I had snuck out to the circuits when no one was looking. Then, he let me race, betting against me of course," Anakin laughed, "In some ways it was less complicated, we didn't have to worry with right and wrong, we only had to follow orders," Anakin stated. "There are things we had to do…they weren't right, but if I refused….they beat my mother," Anakin said, his voice hard. "Watto was more fair than most, but he liked to entertain." Obi-Wan wondered exactly what Anakin had gone through, he hadn't had a chance to ask Master Qui-Gon, what had it done to Anakin for him to call him a pathetic life form. Obi-Wan started to speak, but Ahsoka shook her head. "I found pieces of a droid when I was exploring and I was able to build Three-pio," Anakin remembered.

"I had to make him look like junk for anything we owned could be taken from us, could be claimed by our Master," Anakin said, sarcasm dripping over the word Master, instead of the normal respectful, chiding tone he used with it. "I was able to build a podracer too; it was all but finished when I was nine, when the Jedi came for me. I always knew I was Chosen for something great, something grand, sometimes I could hear voices, and my mother told me that one day the Jedi would come from me. When Qui-Gon showed up I knew I would be freed," a bitter smile formed on Anakin's face. "How young I was, how naïve. I thought they were called laser swords," Anakin remembered. "I used to have these dreams, when I was a boy, dreams of being a Jedi, dreams of leading an army, and dreams of the Dark One," he stated remembering.

"The Dark One," Obi-Wan asked. Anakin shrugged.

"I was a kid, Master, and besides dreams pass in time," Anakin sighed as he continued. "He said that he had created me, that I was supposed to serve him. That he had given me life, I didn't know what it meant, I still don't, I was a funny kid, that's all," Anakin added, it made him feel uncomfortable.

"Are you sure there wasn't more?" Ahsoka asked.

"You think it may have been…Darth Sidious? But how would he have known of Anakin?" Obi-Wan asked.

"It was just a dream."

"But all your other ones came true, Ahsoka added. You just a dream."

"But all your other ones came true, Ahsoka added. You **are** a Jedi, you command an army of men."

"And I dreamed that I would go back and free the slaves, but that didn't happen either."

"I'm truly sorry, Anakin, if I had known…if I had thought for one moment…."

"I told you, Master, about my nightmares, about her pain, I could feel her suffering," Anakin added, a sob ripping itself from his throat. "And now that planet has Padme, that planet should be destroyed has Padme in its grip. I'm afraid, Master," Anakin hung his head, forgetting that his men were there. "When my mother was killed, Dooku was right, I lost it, I touched the Dark Side, I didn't care who I hurt as long as they hurt as much as I did, even when I killed the last one, I couldn't stop the pain. I fell to my knees and howled," Anakin remembered. I expelled the Darkness as much as I could, and I know it sounds crazy but I heard Qui-Gon."

"Anakin, I believe you,"Obi-Wan said.

"Still think my dream is impossible?" Anakin challenged.

"Yes, I raised you Anakin, and I know what you are and aren't capable of."

"Sir, we would rather here about your relationship with Senator Skywalker," Boil asked.

"We are coming up on Tattooine," Captain Rex added, as they came out of lightspeed.


	30. Chapter 30

Windu versus Skywalker

Anakin felt the fight going on between Master Kota, Master Kit and Master Windu the moment he touched the sandy planet of Tattooine, and he felt his wife's fear, his wife's pain. He walked purposely forward the sane swirling behind him as it clung to his hair, his face, and his black Jedi robes. Anakin's hand was poised on the hilt of his lightsaber, as he motioned for the men to spread out and kept his bond with Obi-Wan and Ahsoka open, he didn't speak a word as a sandstorm came down, and those around him couldn't tell if it had been the weather or an effort of Anakin and his Force powers. He walked purposely, focusing on his wife's presence.

What he saw took his breathe away! Padme Amidala Skywalker, his sweet wife whom had never known torture of unkindness before the war, tied up as his mother had been, her face beaten and bloody. He stopped in his tracks, using the Force to feel out for any fractures. He didn't sense any, but there was something….peculiar about her, something different, he just couldn't put his finger on it, and healing had never been his speciality. He studied Master Windu noting the yellow color of his eyes, the sallowness of his skin, the even darker color of his skin. This was not a Jedi he was dealing with. As Anakin watched Master Windu prepeared a killing blow toward Master Kota, and Anakin was in the Force allowing it to flow through him, to use his body as a tool, to serve its will. Anakin Force jumped in front of Master Kota, blocking the violet lightsaber with his own cyan one.

"I see you have returned, slave."

"BACK OFF!" Anakin screamed, as their lightsaber's clashed. "Master Kit, get him somewhere safe," Anakin through to one of Obi-Wan's friends.

"We can't leave you," Master Kit argued.

"Live to fight another day," Anakin replied, not taking his eyes of the Korun Master. "This is part of my destiny. There is no death, there is only the Force," Anakin recited, his blue eyes flaring as brightly as his lightsaber. "Go!" he screamed as Master Kit helped Master Kota to his feet. The lightsaber came quickly and Anakin barely had time to do a backflip that took him away from the blade but closer to Padme.

"Ani!" she screamed. Anakin couldn't spare her a glance, but he had to take the fight away from Padme. They were too close to his wife.

"Don't recite the slave to me, you never should have been trained….you are nothing but a slave that Qui-Gon found."

"Perhaps," Anakin replied evenly. "But I will not allow you to take them from me. You have turned your back on the Jedi."

"No it is you, that have betrayed us! You know what they Code says about attachments, was there any part that you misunderstood?"

Anakin smirked, as he Force leaped on the other side of Windu, hoping he wouldn't regret the decision. He had to keep him focused on him, and away from Padme. "I understood, I just chose to disreguard it," Anakin stated, in a smug voice that he knew Master Windu hated. Anakin sumersaulted away from Mace's attack only to clash lightsabers again.

"You are the destroyer of the Jedi," Maste Windu stated feinted a slice at Anakin leg as he went for his flesh arm. Anakin felt the whisper and was able to protect his arm. Obi-Wan and Ahsoka tried to enter the fight.

"No," Anakin said, "This is my fight," as he blocked another perry, he felt a dark pulse and watched as Master Windu shot out his fingers to produce purple colored Force lightning. Obi-Wan barely caught the Tortuga Padawan. "You do not understand," Anakin said, trying to reach the fallen Master. "I do not wish the Jedi harm, I do not wish them dead, perhaps I wish them defeated, but only so that they might understand, your teachings are wrong. One cannot truly understand the Force by adhering to the Jedi Code."

"You will destroy the Jedi, and I must stop you, as the Chosen One, I must stop you." Anakin couldn't believe what he was hearing. He parried another strike, before going on the offensive.

"Master Yoda is wrong, it's not too late to be saved, it's never too late as long as there is life there is hope, there is a choice."

"You are the Traitor!" Master Windu screamed, and Anakin sighed.

"You have done everything within your power to belittle me since the Jedi agreed to train me. I believe you always saw me as a slave, but there are worse things than being a slave, you have denied me a position that I have earned, sent me on messanger missions as if I were without the will of the Force, as if I were less than any other Jedi, and now you have kidnapped my wife, but I offer you no ill will. Just let me wife go, she is innocent in this."

"As the Tuskans were innocent. I'm doing this to avenge them." Anakin sighed.

"So be it. I will do what I must," he said as he swung his lightsaber forcefully, letting the Force guide him. He seemed to move without any conscious thought, swinging and blocking before Master Windu even knew what he was doing. Anakin used the Force to create a sandstorm behind him, effectively blinding the once Jedi Master. "There will be no bloodshed here today," he intoned. "I'm taking my wife home with me. Anakin threw his lightsaber in a blue arc around the Jedi Master using his Force powers of telekinesis to lift it and swipe at Master Windu, as he pushed the sand up on all sides of him. "Obi-Wan, get her now!" he screamed, and Ahsoka was able to get up and smile queerly at the Senator as she untied the rope.

Ahsoka and Obi-Wan carried her over to him, and Anakin's world decreased to the breathing of his wife. He dropped the sand and his lightsaber returned to his utility belt. "Angel," he whispered, holding and rocking his wife. "Stay with me, not again!" he screamed, as tears filled his eyes, sliding down his cheeks and onto that of his wife. She opened her beautiful brown eyes and Anakin wept with joy. Obi-Wan and Ahsoka stood above him, wondering at what would happen to Master Windu now that he was no longer a Jedi.

"Ani, there is something I need to tell you," she whispered from dry lips.

"No, Padme, not now. There will be time later, stay with me! I cannot lose you."

"I will always be with you," she told him, reaching out to touch his face. Anakin touched the bruises and the abrassions in her flesh.

"He did this to you?" he asked, his lips touching the cuts tenderly, almost reavantly. "I will make things right, I promise you."

"Anakin, please, let's leave this place. Come away with me."

"Alright, let's go," Anakin said, as he stood with her in his arms, Obi-Wan and Ahsoka stood on either side of him and behind him were there troops. They entered the _Skywalker_ and not another word was spoken as both husband and wife had retired to be alone, where they assured one another that the other was safe and free from harm.


	31. Secrets Revealed

Secrets Revealed

Though Anakin knew he should return to Coruscent, he had to give his report to the Jedi anyway, and he was carrying not just his padawan and master but two seasoned Jedi and his men with him as well, he wanted his wife to recover and there was only one place she could do that. Naboo. Captain Rex followed Anakin into the room he would be sharing with his wife as he tenderly set here down on the bed.

"Orders, General?"

"Send the medical droid in here to check on my wife," Anakin replied and Rex noticed his general's voice soften on the word wife, and remembered his brother Cut and his family, he wondered what it was like to be married. Rex had always noticed the way the general reacted around Senator Amidala…now Skywalker and how his voice changed or he froze when she was mentioned, Rex had never thought that the feelings were returned or that they were married. "And set a course for Naboo. You have the landing codes?" Anakin asked.

"Yes, General. I will inform Commander Tano and Generals Kenobi, Fitso, and Kota of the location," he added and Anakin nodded, hovering over his tender wife. He stroked her face, once again kissing the abrasions as if he could take away her pain. "I wish it had been me," he whispered to her, his voice low in her ear. "I almost lost it when I saw you tied there."

"Anakin," she whispered. "There's something I must tell you before the medical droid gets here."

"No, my love, you will be fine. I fought the darkness by thinking of you. I could feel it clinging to Master Windu, it wanted to claim me, but I wouldn't let it, you are all that matters to me now. You keep me sane," he whispered, finding her bruise lips and kissing them softly.

"Anakin…I was so worried about you."

"You know I will always come back to you. Besides, you have my heart, and without my heart they can't end my life," he whispered, kissing her more passionately.

"You mustn't say such things."

"I love you, Padme."

Padme placed her arms around her husband neck and looked up into his blue eyes. "We've been married for three years," she whispered, huskily.

"Has something changed?" he asked. "I can feel that something's changed. I can accept anything but a lie," he whispered, fearing the worse.

"Yes, everything's changed," she whispered.

"If there's someone else," Anakin added, fear shadowing his face.

"Yes, there is someone else," she replied, "Something wonderful has happened. I'm pregnant." She watched the emotions flitter across his face.

"You….I'm…." he startled as everything it meant showed itself. There was the fear, the thought of his enemies getting a hold of her, of what the Jedi would do, of the fact that he didn't know how to be a father, but most prominently there was the utter and pure unadulterated joy. He was going to be a father! His gaze flittered down to her belly as if he could see the child growing there; he felt out the presence and realized that was what had been different about her. He was going to be a father! "This is the happiest day of my life!" he said picking her up and swinging her around. "A father! A child!"

"Anakin," she whispered, fearfully, "What are we going to do?"

"We're going to be happy, and we're going to be a family all three of us!" he stated, the laughter and giddiness bubbling over inside of him. He hadn't felt like this since before the war. He reached out with the force and felt the light within her; he felt it respond to him and his presence. He let her slide to her feet and he took off his glove pressing his flesh hand hand to her belly. His child! His son or daughter. Obi-Wan and Ahsoka appeared in the doorway, feeling the happiness that had reached out to them in the Force.

"Anakin, I told you should would be alright," the Jedi Master stated, rolling his eyes. Anakin fell to his knees and pressed his lips to her belly.

"Master, padawan," he choked out as tears of joy streamed down his cheeks, "I'm going to be a father. Padme, I don't know if I can ever thank you for this gift," he said as the medical droid entered. "I'll be right outside," he told her wiping his eyes, and putting his glove back on. He leaned down and kissed her on the lips, before giving her her privacy.

"Ani…" she said, whatever she had expected his reaction, and she hadn't expected the joy to hit her like this. Anakin's joy was contagious. "It wasn't just me; you did this too, my love." Anakin nodded.

"I want a full medical evaluation," he told the medical droid. "I want a stasis on the baby as well." Anakin exited the room.

"Well, Anakin, when you break the Code you don't do it half-way," Obi-Wan told him with a gentle chuckle.

"So do you think it will be a boy or a girl?" Ahsoka asked. "I'm going to be an aunt," she said, with a small giggle. "I've always loved younglings. Can I watch them?" Anakin chuckled gently.

"We'll see, Ahsoka. They haven't even been born yet. Can you believe it master? Me? A father?"

"You were meant for greatness, Anakin. This comes as no surprise to me, Anakin. It's not so unusual for a married couple to procreate."

Anakin laughed, "You never change, Master. Do you think Ma…Mace Windu knows?"

Obi-Wan frowned, "I don't know, Anakin, but she will be protected, you have my word."

"I know, Master," he said. "I told Rex to set a course for Naboo," Anakin said slowly. "I understand that Master Kota and Master Fitso will be yearning for the Temple, and the Troopers wish to return to Kamino, but Padme needs to be protecting, she should remain with my in-laws for now," Anakin explained.

"In-laws? Wife? Children?" Obi-Wan said, his head swimming slightly. "It's hard to see you with a family apart from the Jedi," Obi-Wan said.

"Someday soon, Master, you will understand," Anakin told him. "Besides Dad wants to meet you and Ahsoka, and I promised him the next time I came to Naboo I would bring the two of you."

"Really, Master?" Ahsoka asked.

"Really, Snips. The Naberrie's are descendants from royalty so be on your best behavior," he teased her. Anakin watched as the medical droid came out with a report. "If you will excuse me, Padawan, Master, I shall see to my wife," he added, looking down at the readout. "Send Boil in with some food, Padme will need her strength," he added, taking the nutrient supplements.


	32. Chapter 32

Once a Jedi, Always a Jedi

Anakin looked out the viewport as the watery planet of Naboo greeted him and he began to feel the same sort of peace he always felt at the sight of this planet. This was the planet he considered his home, it was this planet that he had shared many happy hours with his secret wife, and it was here he wished for his child to be born on, to live on. Anakin knew that his master had less than happy memories here, for it was on this planet that Anakin had proven his worth to the Jedi and the once-great Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn had breathed his last breath. It was on this planet that Obi-Wan had sought him out over the supposed death of Ventress. Anakin wondered where in the Galaxy Ventress had disappeared to this time. He looked down at his sleeping wife, who would need her sleep to recover and to bear the child of a Jedi. Anakin wondered how many years it had been such a woman had bared the child of a Jedi, and felt a prickle of fear shoot through him. Would such a delivery be tough on his wife? He mustn't think about that now.

"We are coming up on Naboo, General Skywalker," Jesse informed them.

"Good," Anakin replied, as he watched Padme's chest inhale and exhale with every breathe she took. "Direct the cruiser to the Lake House on Valykino, there is enough room for all the Clone Troopers and the Jedi. I will be along when my wife wakes up," he stated, "Artoo knows the way."

"Great, we're following a droid," Jesse replied.

"Hey, this is Artoo, I trust him with my life," Anakin replied, as Jesse took his leave. Anakin pulled out his holo-transmitter and contacted the Jedi Temple. He waited until he was alone except for the prone form of his wife and he bowed as the holo-image of Master Plo greeted him.

"Anakin Skywalker, your mission was a success?"

"It depends on what success means to you," Anakin replied, curtly. "My wife is safe, and my child," Anakin stated.

"I was aware of Senator Skywalker's condition. I would like to extend my congratulations on your impending fatherhood and offer you a place within the Order," Master Plo added.

"I don't believe I can accept it, Master," Anakin replied. "I can't put the Jedi before my family. I don't wish to be off-world when my child comes," Anakin explained. "Being a Jedi meant everything to me….before I was married."

"I understand, Anakin, and I would like to extend the same offer to your master and padawan. There is no Jedi that can take the place of the three of you, and the Jedi Order is changing. Master Yoda has given me the position of Grand Master," Master Plo explained, "He wants my help to reform the Order, and that's where I need the three of you, despite your self-imposed exile from the Order, you have remained Jedi, you cannot dispute that." Anakin nodded, thoughtfully.

"I will discuss it with my wife," Anakin said finally. "As to the situation on Tattooine," Anakin continued. "When I arrived, I found my wife tied in a similar fashion as I had found my mother three years ago. Master Windu has fallen to the Dark Side, he was about to deal Master Koto a fatal blow when I stepped in. I fear he has quite lost his mind, he kept raving about how he was doing this to save the Jedi, how I have destroyed the Jedi, and how he is the Chosen One. Believe me, I would give it to him if I could," Anakin responded. "It is not a destiny I relish in, I don't even know what it means," Anakin added.

"To that end, I may be able to shed some light on it. I have been searching the prophecies in our Archives, and have found some new information. I believe that Qui-Gon was the keeper of the prophecy, he is the one who found you on Tattooine, which is a planet with twin suns correct?" Anakin nodded at Master Plo's question. "Then there is the Guardian and the Protector, which I can only assume to mean Obi-Wan and Ahsoka. The prophecy even refers to a wife and child." Anakin looked shocked at that.

"But Master Plo that was against the Code."

"The rules must change, or the Jedi will be destroyed, I cannot stress enough how grateful I am that this has come to my attention before it was too late. If there is every anything you need do not hesitate to come to me. The Jedi are changing, and I will order your leave whenever your child is due to be born. You must attend your family. You are a very empathetic person, Skywalker. Empathy is a Jedi trait. A Jedi gains power through understanding. Empathy leads to understanding, understanding leads to compassion which is essential for a Jedi. Compassion leads to love, there is no place for love for a Sith. This will be the foundation of our new teachings."

"Will the rest of the Council agree?" Anakin asked.

"When I have the support of Master Yoda, some of these changes have already been implemented. I have spoken with Master Dooku, he will not be allowed to remain on Coruscent, however I have gone to the Senate with a proposal, for a Temple for our lost, to help them see the light, the moment will believe they are lost, is the moment when they are lost to us. Master Dooku will be tried by the Jedi, not the Senate. This is an internal Jedi matter, and I wish for you, as the one who captured him to be present."

"As you wish, Master," Anakin replied with a bow. "You have given me a lot to think about, and I wish to be involved with the Lost Jedi," Anakin spoke.

"Your request will be considered, Skywalker. Please give my friendship to Little 'Soka and Obi-Wan."

"It will be done. Skywalker out." Anakin stood there staring at his wife and contemplating what had been said, the Jedi were changing, and it was for the best, he just could never have imaged such support coming from the Jedi. It filled him with more love and light than he could ever imagine, he reached out to his child, and shared the loved and light feeling the immediate response. How could such a young force sensitive respond to him? He sat down and kissed Padme's lips, before looking down at her belly.

"What do you think, little one, do you want Daddy to continue as a Jedi?" he felt the blaze from within and smiled. "Daddy will be with you. I can hardly wait for you to be born? I can already imagine you, Princess," he stated with a smile, "Long dark hair like your mother, your grandmother's smile, your father's force abilities, and your mother's spirit," he said with a soft laugh. "I hope you have better control over your emotions than I ever have. All I can do for now is share my love for you," he added, softly, careful not to wake their mother, he opened his heart, allowing a force bond to form, allowing the light to wash over him; they were so pure, so innocent. "I will never allow anything to harm you; I will help end this war for you." He couldn't't help himself as he hugged Padme across her middle, placing feathery butterfly kisses there. He heard Padme's giggle as she ran her hands through Anakin's middle.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Talking to our child," he stated with a half-shrug. She pulled his head away and looked into his eyes.

"You're different, Anakin. And for that I love you, let's go home," she said, and he rolled off the bed and took her into his arms.

"You're right, let's go home. The Jedi and the Clones are waiting for us; they won't know what to do without us. Our secret is still so new to them all. And Ahsoka already wants to baby-sit, I should make her help you pick out maternity clothes," he said with a laugh. "You are so beautiful to me," he said, his voice cracking with emotion. 

"Only because I'm in love," she said with a gentle smile.

"No, it's because I'm so in love with you," he responded, kissing first her lips, and then touching the abrasions that seemed lighter than they had the day before.

"No, it's because I'm so in love with you."

She paused, as she squeezed his hand. "So love has blinded you?"

"That's not exactly what I meant," he responded with a husky laugh, as he twined their fingers together, marveling at how perfect she felt to him, how perfectly she fit, his flesh hand and hers, seemed as if they were made to be as intertwined as their bodies were more often than not. He stood up abruptly, pulling her into his arms.

"I can walk, Ani."

"I'm not taking any chances, not with you and my child at risk. Here I have the nutrient supplements you will need for your pregnancy," he added, using the Force to grab them as he shifted her in his arms. "We've stayed on board too long already. Once you regain your strength, we will visit your parents and tell them the happy news. You should remain on Naboo until the baby is born."

"That's eight months, Ani. I am still a Senator of the Galactic Republic."

"And my enemies are still at large, I will not allow you and our child to become hostages to be bartered, this war will end, and our enemies will be brought to justice, I cannot bear if either of you were harmed, because of my decision to reveal our secret," he admitted. "And there's still the mysterious Sidious, not to mention Nute Gunray, Pogger the Lesser and Greater, Darth Maul, and Ventress. Let's just hope Count Dooku doesn't escape from the Jedi," Anakin added. "Speaking of the Jedi, Master Plo wants me to rejoin the Order."

"What did you tell him?"

"That my family comes first, and that I would have to talk it over with my wife."

"So this is it, Ani, we are just like any other married couple in the galaxy?" she asked, her lips finding his as they stepped off the cruiser and onto the land of Naboo, right outside her Lake House.

"Yes, just like everyone else, except I'm luckier than them, because I'm married to you."

"Oh Ani," she said as she lost herself in his eyes. They only parted when they heard a familiar voice clear his throat.

"Well you certainly took long enough. Luckily, I was able to find accommodations for everyone."

"I have faith in your abilities, Master. As soon as you get a chance you should contact Master Plo," Anakin added, his lips breaking contact with his wife's. "I'm going to take care of my wife, I leave the accommodations in your capable hands," he added, striding off.

Obi-Wan shook his head. "Always on the move."


	33. Jedi Prisoner

_A/N I want to thank everyone who reviewed. I now have over 100 reviews! If anyone would like to request any one shots, now that we have reached the 100 mark, I am all ears. Sorry this chapter is shorter than the previous ones, but enjoy!_

Jedi Prisoner

Master Plo Koon went down to the Jedi Temple's holding cells and examined Count Tyrone Dooku, the once Master Dooku, now Sith Lord, the Leader of the Confederacy of Independent Systems. The med droids had fitted him with golden mechanical droid-like arms at the wrists, much like Anakin's own. The Count sat on the bed that was provided, as proud as ever. Even his duel with Skywalker hadn't humbled him, not as Skywalker had been humbled. Master Plo shook his head as he approached the Count with Clone Troopers guarding the door.

"Master Dooku, I would assume that your accommodations are adequate," he started as he sat down on the small bench in the room, facing the once-Great Jedi.

"I could do without the Force suppressants," Count Dooku stated.

"Unfortunately that is impossible at the moment, perhaps at a later date we can arrange for the suppressants to be limited," Master Plo stated. "Do you know of Master Windu's deflection?"

"I do."

"How did you come to know the Dark Side?" Master Plo asked. "We know that the death of your apprentice, of Qui-Gon, at the hand of Darth Maul...Influenced that decision."

"In part….and partly because of the rediscovery of the Sith…and the prophecy. I thought that we didn't need to wait on this so-called Chosen One, that the Council's inability to act was what was causing the Darkness to spread, we had all felt it."

"You believe that you could destroy the Sith?" Master Plo asked, carefully. "When you knew that the Chosen One had already been discovered. You must remember that Qui-Gon brought back Anakin Skywalker whom he believed to be the Chosen One."

"He was just a boy then. What if we could destroy the evil ourselves without involving that child? But I was foolish and I was wrong, and in the end the Darkness that I sought found me, and I wasn't strong enough to fight against it, and rather than be destroyed by it, I joined it, spreading the Darkness myself."

"You felt abandoned by the Council and their lack of action? This isn't the first time a Jedi has felt that way and lost their way. Remember back to your earlier teachings, Master Dooku. Remember too, that during the Great Sith Wars, and during the Mandalorian Wars, that the Council didn't act even as the Mandalorians attacked willing the Jedi to act, to present them with a true challenge, the Jedi Revan led an attack force of Jedi Knights and destroyed the Mandalorians; remember too, that when the War ended they came back Sith rather than the Jedi heroes they expected. Sometimes, it pays to wait, and sometimes action is necessary. Remember too, that the Jedi known as Darth Revan became a Jedi once again. We will not abandon our fallen again, it will not be the Jedi way, not if I have anything to say about it," Master Plo intoned.

"Why do you wish to save me? I am not deserving of a kinder fate."

"We do not abandon our own. We will talk more of this later. Right now, Skywalker is reporting his mission on Tattooine. I must go, I am afraid you are restricted visitors, for your own protection."

"I see. Until we meet again, Master Plo," Master Dooku bowed, watching the Jedi leave. What had happened to Yoda's teaching about being lost in the Darkness, it seemed that whatever Master Plo was doing to the Jedi Order could be positive, was their hope that he could return to a semblance of what he had been. The Jedi Master of Qui-Gon Jinn. A respected member of the Jedi Order, or would he always been seen as dangerous, his name synomonous with the destruction of the Jedi. Was their hope for him? And at what cause? Did the Jedi now believe in torturing their victims? Their enemies? Would he be executed for his crimes? And could he really betray Sidious to the Jedi? Would they allow him to return without that betrayal? Master Plo had given Tyrone Dooku much to contemplate. He also worried that his Master would have him killed. Was there a way to leave behind clues to lead the Jedi to Sidious, and how would the Galaxy react once Sidious's identity was exposed? Would it fall into chaos? Grevious could not remain in power; he knew that Sidious had infected him with the Dark Side. Could he really control that cyborg? Tyrone Dooku sighed, and wondered what Qui-Gon would have thought of the shape of the galaxy if he could be here today? There were many assassin's on the loose, what would it take to reign them in?


	34. Chapter 34

Marriage Within the Order

Master Plo sat in the Council Chambers with Master Yoda, Master Mundi, Master Yoda and Master Ti.

"I have spoken with Master Dooku…although he is still shrouded in Darkness, I believe in time we can reach him, and once we reach him we will be much closer to ending the War. That will have to be our goal."

"A Jedi's goal should be to destroy the Sith," Master Mundi argued. "It has been that way for thousands of years."

"And where has that gotten us, Masters," Master Plo continued. "Once the Jedi and Sith were one, does that make them our enemies?"

"Corruption of the Force, they are," Master Yoda intoned.

"Yet until Obi-Wan Kenobi fought the Zabrack on Tattooine we didn't know of their existence. Have any of us talked to the Sith?"

"Talk, they will not. Like a cancer, the Sith are. Spread they have." Suddenly, the doors to the Jedi Council was flung open and in their place stood a Corellian Jedi Master.

"I have a confession to make," The Jedi Master stated, in a strong voice, one that didn't shake at all. "I, like Master Skywalker, have broken the Jedi Code. I would have come sooner, but I have only just returned to Coruscent, and heard the news on my return," The Jedi Master bowed slightly to the Council.

"What is your confession, Master Halcyon?" Master Plo asked Nejaa Halycon.

"I am married, with younglings," the Jedi Master confessed. "If Skywalker has been expelled, then I deserve the same fate."

"Skywalker has not been expelled, in fact he has been asked to rejoin the Order. Much has changed since you've been away. Attachments are necessary to nurture compassion, and as you know compassion is essential for a Jedi." Master Plo intoned. Master Halycon stood there motionless. He had done what he thought right by sticking up for Skywalker. "Do you wish to return to Correlia, and your family?"

"I do."

"Then leave you are granted," Master Yoda stated. "Perhaps, wrong I have been. It seems Skywalker alone he is not, in a forbidden marriage," he said as Master Halcyan left, assumingly preparing for his trip to Correlia. Over the next several weeks, more and more Jedi stepped forward and admitted to breaking the Code. Even Obi-Wan Kenobi admitted via holocron to having attachments for both the deceased Jedi Knight Siri and the Duchess Satine. Although, attachment was still forbidden to younglings and padawans, Jedi Knights and Masters now openingly admitted to children and wives/husbands. Yes, in mere months the Jedi Order had changed so that even the Sith felt the change.

Sith Lord, Darth Sidious, was very unhappy about the change within the Jedi Order, change that the Jedi brat, Ahsoka, and Anakin Skywalker were the cause of. The Jedi now stood firmly behind their Chosen One. He could not get anywhere near his apprentice to punish him for his betrayal, for losing to Skywalker without dying. Dooku's death was supposed to be Skywalker's ascension to the Sith. He would have to contact Darth Maul and have him dispose of his wayward apprentice, but first he needed Cad Bane to take out Jedi Master Plo Koon, without his influence the Jedi would revert back to what it once had been, without his considerable influence and level-headedness; the Jedi would fall, and Skywalker would as he was meant to, belong to him. He would either own Skywalker or one of his offspring, it made no difference to Sidious. Perhaps, Sidious could allow the Galaxy to believe the Jedi were taking over, starting with a Force-sensitive dynasty that no ordinary sentient could hope to compete with, the terror would spread and citizens would attack the Jedi, let them try to preserve the peace then, Sidious thought with a hideous cackle.


	35. Naboo Retreat

Naboo Retreat

In the next two months, Anakin and Padme had shared much with both their Clone Troopers and the Jedi with them. Anakin was surprised that both the Jedi and his Clone Troopers remained with them on Naboo. He had fully expected the Clones to return to Kamino and the Jedi Masters to return to Coruscent. Padme had recovered from her ideal, and was now in her fourth month of pregnancy, in her second trimester. Anakin and Padme's bond had deepened to the point where she could sense him as well, despite not being Force-sensitive. Three-pio had been returned to them by Jar-Jar Binks. Anakin and Padme were sitting on the couch, Padme's legs draped over Anakin as he messaged her feet, when Obi-Wan entered the room.

"I have some good news, Anakin," he replied as Padme giggled, as Anakin had reached a ticklish spot on her feet.

"You know next month we will be able to find out if we are having a boy or girl," Anakin said as he grabbed her foot and pulled her closer to him, so that he could touch the child that was growing within his wife.

"I'm so happy for you, Anakin," Obi-Wan commented dryly. "It appears that many Jedi Knights and Masters have come forward and admitted to attachments, myself included."

"Yes, Master Plo had mentioned a change in the Jedi Code," Anakin said as he took off his flesh-glove so that he could feel the movements of the child he had created underneath his hand. "Let me guess, Satine?" Anakin questioned. "I always knew she was your girlfriend," Anakin teased.

"I don't think she's dead, Anakin," Obi-Wan admitted. "Even after that dreadful business with Darth Maul."

"How many times must you kill him, Master?" Anakin said, with a mock-grin. He wasn't really paying attention to Obi-Wan, not when he could feel his child moving inside of Padme. He knew he would have to leave her side soon, but he was enjoying his time with his family.

"Master Halcyon has admitted to being married with a youngling," Obi-Wan said. Anakin perked up. Perhaps they could protect Padme while he was away. It would do Padme good to spend time with another once-secret Jedi couple. "Not to mention the Marek's."

"What about the Marek's?" Anakin asked.

"She is expecting a youngling any day now," Obi-Wan explained.

"Well, I should offer my congratulations," Anakin responded, pausing as his hand traced Padme's stomach. It was so normal, and yet not, he intentionally traced patterns where the child was not, and he felt the child move in the pattern of his hand. He paused and the child paused as well.

"Kento and Mallie," Obi-Wan supplied their first names.

"And here I thought my Jedi Knight was the only one to break the Code."

"He's not even the first, just the first to admit it. The Council is calling it 'The Skywalker Incident'" Obi-Wan said with humor. "Since 'The Skywalker Incident' many Jedi Knights and Masters have admitted to having families. Many feel it's their duty to offer support to The Chosen One," Obi-Wan said dryly. "Even I admitted my attachment to the Council, not just to the Duchess but to Anakin as well. As a Jedi, we are supposed to put the mission first; I told the Council that if it came down to Anakin's life or the mission, I would choose Anakin."

Anakin was speechless; though he had known Obi-Wan cared for him…putting it in those words left Anakin speechless. "Thank you, Master Kenobi," Padme told him. "I am grateful to you for doing all that you have for us." Padme turned sharply to Anakin, "Haven't you had enough of using my stomach as a sabaak game?" she asked. Ahsoka entered the room, carrying a bowl of shurra fruit with her. She offered one to Padme who smiled as she took one, and Anakin used the Force to grab one for himself.

"Where are they men?" Obi-Wan asked Ahsoka.

"Oh, they are…betting on a sabaak game," Ahsoka mentioned, with a grin. "It seems they've used their leave to hone their gambling skills. If only the war could be won over a game," Ahsoka added, looking down at Padme. "How are you feeling today?" she asked with concern. "Have you thought about names for the baby?" she asked. Obi-Wan stroked his beard before he gave a suggestion.

"If I may, Anakin, Padme," he asked, and they nodded Padme pulling away from Anakin and into a sitting position although Anakin pulled her on top of him.

"Go ahead, Master."

"The name Luke has always appealed to me, in the Old Republic the name Luke meant light, I can't think of a better name for the Son of the Chosen One."

"Luke Skywalker…" Padme said, testing the name out.

"Luke Obi-Wan Skywalker," Anakin corrected and Master Obi-Wan was barely able to maintain his dignity. He maintained it for a minute maybe less before tears filled his eyes, the Jedi failing at his unbreakable posture.

"What about a girl?" Ahsoka asked.

"My mother once told me a story of a warrior named Leia, she had saved her people from slavery, the exact story escaped me," Anakin said, "But the name meant hope," Anakin said. "And I think she should be named after you, Padme. Leia Amidala."

"Skywalker. Leia Amidala Skywalker, I like it, Ani."

"Me too, Skyguy, I can barely wait for the trouble they will cause you."

"Trouble?" Padme wondered. "We should tell my parents before too long. I want you with me, Ani," Padme said, lacing her hand through Anakin's human one.

"I know. We will do it soon, my love, for I know the men long for the glory of battle, perhaps, I have been selfish keeping them here with me," Anakin added. He planned on leaving two of his men to protect his wife, for he knew no matter what he said she would find her way back to the Senate, it was in her blood, in her nature. "I'm surprised the Chancellor hasn't called us back sooner, yet I sense it will not be long," Anakin stood up kissing his wife briefly as he went to find Captain Rex. Ahsoka sat down and held Padme's hand, she had become quite a skilled healer, and she concentrated on the Force using its healing abilities to make this pregnancy easier on the Senator. She sensed….two life forms within the Senator. Ahsoka's blue eyes opened as she stared at the Senator's enlarged belly. Anakin never really had been good at healing, his talents lay on the battlefield, and it was the only explanation as to why he had missed it.

"Captain Rex," Anakin stated, "Follow me," he added as they walked in the garden. "I understand that you are eager for battle."

"It's what we were bred for."

"I will need a sample of your DNA so that we can work on an antidote to the growth acceleration," Anakin stated. Captain Rex turned his hand over. He had taken to wearing civilian clothes while on Naboo. Anakin extracted the DNA and smiled at his friend. "We will be leaving soon, returning to Coruscent to await our Orders. I want you to choose two of your best men to protect my wife."

"Sir, yes, sir. I would not want to see a repeat of Tattooine either. Jesse and Boil will do fine," Captain Rex said after a moment.

"Alright, Rex, inform them as soon as you like. We will return by the end of the month, after we find out the sex of our children," Anakin told his friend.

"General, Congratulations on becoming a father," Captain Rex said and Anakin smiled, the comrade easy between them.

"Master Anakin," Anakin heard the voice of 3PO, "Dinner is served." Anakin nodded.

"Inform the men," he told the Captain as he made his way into the dining room where Padme, Ahsoka, and Obi-Wan already sat.


	36. Chapter 36

The Survival of the Duchess

The first thing the Duchess was aware of was the feeling of being cold, the second thing was that she was tied up, on a cold metal slab that passed for a bed, her arms tied up with metal links above her head. The last thing she remembered was confessing her love for Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, and then all had gone black.

"I saved you," came the voice of a monster. She turned her head to look at the Sith, Darth Maul, the one who had taken her, who had vowed revenge on her beloved. "I could feel your heartbeat slowing, even as we set Obi-Wan free." Satine didn't say anything, and she wondered where Obi-Wan was now, and if he thought she was dead. "The Jedi will fall and Obi-Wan with them."

"You only saved me to kill me again," the Duchess spoke, fury in her words, and in her eyes. "It would be better if I were dead."

"Yes, it would. But I want Obi-Wan to suffer as much as I. I will be only too glad when his apprentice falls to the Dark Side."

"You mean Master Skywalker?"

"Just think of it, Duchess. The loss of his Master, the loss of you, and the ultimate betrayal that slave from Tattooine turning against his teachings, using the very knowledge Obi-Wan gave him against him."

Satine had spent a lot of time with both Padme and Obi-Wan but she hadn't really spent a lot of time with Obi-Wan's former apprentice. She knew that both Padme and Obi-Wan spoke highly of him but she couldn't help but remember how he had murdered the Senator that held her captive. She had looked at him, and knew why he had done it, so that Obi-Wan wouldn't be seen as a hypercrite by her, she had almost thanked him, even if it would have been better to capture him. There hadn't been a way out of the awkward situation until that blue lightsaber shown illuminating the face of Master Anakin Skywalker. Satine didn't know him as well as her friends, but she had to trust that if Padme and Obi-Wan trusted him, then he was a man of good character.

"He won't turn," Satine stated softly.

"Oh but he will, my Master has foreseen it."

"Curious, even a monster such as you must answer to someone."

"You are afraid, Duchess. Good. Fear….attracts the weak…the strong…the fearful…the innocent. Fear is my ally."

"Then you are a fool. Fear can be conquered by hope, by bravery," Duchess Satine said as she spit toward him. Maul looked at her without malice, she was simply a tool toward his revenge.

"You think I'm evil, I'm only what my master made me. I am efficient, for death is the great equalizer. I serve my master and the glorious Sith tradition. The Jedi think themselves powerful, they are but shadows of power, but puppets with little understanding of the true nature of the Force, they ignore the true nature of the Force, that which would make them powerful, they ignore the Dark Side, but their illusions will soon come to an end."

Duchess Satine shivered in spite of herself. The Sith monster turned and left unbinding her hands after leaving her food. Satine pondered over whether to eat it. On one hand, it could be poisoned, and on the other she didn't wish to starve. Poisoning her would serve no purpose, if she was to be revenge for Obi. Oh, dear Obi, she thought as she sipped on the water that the creature had brought her. Please, for your sake, stay far away.


	37. Dinner

Dinner

"Sorry for the delay," Anakin added as Captain Rex came in behind him followed by the rest of the Clones and Master Kit and Master Kota.

"It saddens me how far Master Windu has fallen," Master Kota said, picking at his food. "He was the one who brought me to the Temple. He found me when I was eighteen." Anakin nearly dropped his fork at that comment, he hadn't realized. It confirmed what he had thought that Windu had always seen him as a slave, not a person, and most certainly, not a Jedi.

"I was nine," Anakin said softly, reaching out and placing his human hand on his wife's knee, she reached down and stroked his hand, clasping her fingers with his own. She knew the bitterness that remained in her husband over that incident.

"To each its own," Master Kota said. "It's rather a miracle, isn't it, Skywalker," Master Kota said, nodding at Padme, "The growth and birth of a child."

"Yes, it is," Padme said, placing her hand over her increasingly large belly. "I was so worried when I found out…and then when Master Windu had me, I thought he meant to harm my child…our child," she said looking at Anakin.

"Children," Ahsoka corrected.

"Snips, what do you mean?" Anakin asked, looking sharply at his padawan.

"I mean there are two lifeforms within your wife, Master."

"Twins, Anakin," Master Obi-Wan corrected. "I say, Anakin, when you break the Code you don't do it half-way," he said with a wink.

"Twins?" Anakin questioned, shocked. He placed his flesh-hand against his wife's womb which held the life-forces of his younglings. "Hello, there," he said to them. "It appears even before you are born, you are full of surprises," he said, with an amused chuckle. He pulled Padme from her seat and spun her around. "Twins, Padme," he said, placing her head between his hands so that he could look down into her deep brown eyes as he kissed her lips. "Padme…"

"Ani," she said, speechless herself. "How is this possible?"

"The will of the Force, my love," he told her, losing himself within her and kissing her over and over.

The Jedi Masters cleared their throats although obviously touched by the display of emotion from the young Jedi Knight. Master Kota spoke up. "Master Skywalker, we would like to offer our congradulation to both you and Senator Skywalker, however we are needed at the Temple very soon."

Anakin turned from his wife to look at the two Jedi Masters, he was happy he didn't have to hide anymore, he didn't know when he had ever made a better decision in his life, unless it was to marry Padme Amidala. "Yes, Masters, soon we will return to the Temple, and my wife will remain on Naboo," he said.

"But Ani, the Senate needs me, I can't just sit on the sidelines."

"Right now you can, think of the younglings, think of our twins, Padme, I don't need you needlessly putting their lives and yours at risk. Please, think about it. Talk it over with Bail before you do anything," Anakin asked her. "I couldn't bare for anything to happen to you or our twins," he told her. "Come on, walk with me," he asked her, as they strolled out to the gardens, leaving the Jedi and Clones alone.

"I have assigned Boil and Jesse to watch after Senator Skywalker," Captian Rex stated. "You heard the General, do whatever is nessassary to detain the Senator here, without force," he added. "I wouldn't want to see what General Skywalker were to do to you if you harmed his wife."

"Yes, sir," came the standard reply, as they left to check out the security of the place.

"Aren't you excited?" Ahsoka asked Obi-Wan, "We are going to be an aunt and uncle to Skywalker twins."

"I barely survived, Anakin," Obi-Wan said, with dry humor. "I hate to see the trouble they will get themselves into," he said, quirking an eyebrow, "But then again you know what they say about payback," he said, with an amused chuckle.


	38. Chapter 38

The Growing Darkness

Darth Maul felt the Dark Side around him and wondered if Darth Tyrannous or Sidious was paying him a visit. He looked at as Satine as she ate her food, she would soon understand the meaning of being a slave, and Obi-Wan would suffer. He wondered if he should send her into slavery and send an anonymous holo-vid of her. Jabba the Hutt would make a worthy slave master for her. Darth Maul turned down a hall, aware of the dark presence stalking him. He was a Sith Master, and it saddened him as much as it was possible to be saddened at the loss of his brother and apprentice. Always two there were, and yet he knew that that essential Sith rule had been broken, his master had taken many apprentices, the Jedi would be destroyed by one of their own, his master had foreseen it.

As if thinking it had brought the identity of the Dark Sider, he turned around with light saber ignited and in his hand as he took in the purple light saber at him, unmoving and Darth Maul felt his own power growing, the Dark man in front of him was radiating fear and anger, he was ripe for Sith training. The fear was so palpable that Darth Maul licked his lips tasting the fear that was his ally. Darth Maul smiled, and what a frightful smile it was, his lips curled upward, revealing white sharp teeth, the lips hardening and cracking as the yellow eyes flashed.

"How the mighty have fallen," he stated, smiling as he punctuated each word. "Master Sidious has sent you."

"No," the former Jedi Master came, "I came upon the word of the Chancellor of the Republic." Darth Maul let out a loud laugh as he put away his light saber, this Jedi would not harm him. It was betrayal to even call the man before him a Jedi.

"Come….Darth Wrath, I will show you to your accommodations, we will begin training in the morning."

"Our goals are not the same; I am here to preserve the Republic."

"And I am here to destroy the Jedi….you will be surprised how much alike are days will be." Darth Maul pressed his thumb to the door. "You will refer to me as Master, and in time I may teach you how to destroy Skywalker." Maul smiled as he noticed the yellow in his new apprentices' eyes. "And our plans will be revealed, in time our power may even rile that of Darth Sidious, and the Galaxy will be ours."

"And Skywalker shall perish," Darth Wrath added, as he was locked in. Darth Wrath wondered why he had sought out Maul and was surprised to find Savage dead. Now that he had made the slip to the dark side, he could feel the loss from his new master. He had followed the Dark Side and it had led him here, to the planet Taris, to Darth Maul, his new master. There were many secrets here that he must learn, and a silver of the dark side touched him, wrapping itself along his heart, he had always balanced the light and the darkness, he had thought he had mastered the darkness, but he was only now learning that there was so much more to the Dark Side than vapaad. Darth Wrath showered, stepping out of the shower, he surveyed the accommodations. It was much larger than anything he had ever been given at the Jedi Temple, even when he made Grand Master. The bed was the softest he had ever felt, he sat down and tested it, he could get used to these accommodations. He picked up the silk boxers and leaned into the material. It almost made his humiliation at losing to Skywalker go away….almost.

He had never thought the dark side could produce such luxuries; he had a lot to learn. He examined the rest of the outfit, he was supposed to wear as a Sith apprentice, it was the best quality he had ever touched, and it was all black. He dressed slowly, taking in the feel of the expensive quality before he went to the closet and looked at the different dark blues, purples, and blacks; they all seemed to say to him, dark practitioner. The newly christened Darth Wrath sat down and begun his meditation focusing inward, focusing on his anger, his fear. Images flooded his brain. Images of a super weapon with enough power to destroy a planet entered his head. It was called…Death Star…the name flooded his brain. He saw two Jedi brats no older than four of five, exact replicas of their parents, brandishing light sabers, the girl with dark hair and eyes to mask wielded a yellow light saber, and the boy blonde haired blue eyed brandished a green light saber, they were at the center of it all. They must either be turned or destroyed. He saw the Jedi marry and flourish, and he saw Skywalker, older, with his wife at his side, leading the Clone Troopers through the Senate, he saw him overthrowing the Chancellor. Yes, he was right to stop the Skywalker family, he had miscalculated was all, and he should not have spared Amidala. That was his greatest mistake, but he would learn from it, he would not repeat it. 'Darth Wrath, together, we will rule the galaxy, pledge yourself to me.' He heard inside his brain as he felt the last of the light within him being squashed, being extinguished within him and being replaced by hate, by anger, and by jealously. He felt the bond with his new master grow and flourish as the lightness was doused by a cold fire. He felt the coldness rise up within him and when he extended his hand he felt the lightning strike the black room. Darth Wrath smiled, feeling the power course through his body, laughter rose up within him, erupting in a loud hollow sound, a sound he didn't recognize. "I pledge myself to your teachings," he whispered kneeling on the floor as he touched the dark presence that filled his mind, this bond was overpowering unlike anything he had ever felt before.

"I need you to return to the Jedi Temple and destroy Tyrannous," the voice informed him. "He is a threat too dangerous to live. Train, and then you will prove your worth by destroying that traitor." Darth Wrath heard, and he became prone as he recognized the presence of a master of the Dark Side.

"I will do whatever you ask, just give me the power to destroy Skywalker," he whispered, as his dark eyes flashed yellow, as his skin darkened and sallower into a color that was just as dark as the dark side, this was a creature of the dark side, from the dark side, and that would spread the dark side. He was fully committed and there was nothing that could ever allow him to turn his back on his new way of life. He stretched out his senses and felt every entity of the Dark Side, even the trechous apprentice on Coruscent, he could almost sense his thoughts except something or someone was blocking them from him. He was trying to figure out how much of the dark side he had revealed to the Jedi to no avail. He could even sense the non-Force sensitive that served the Dark Side and he saw himself uniting them into an army of soldiers, of assassins, that would serve the Dark Side and his purposes. He would one day be the Greatest Sith Master that had ever lived.


	39. Yoda's Observations and Visions

Yoda's observations and visions

How blind he had been! The true nature of the Force, of life was revealing itself to him as one by one the Jedi stepped forward and admitted their attachments. The Jedi Masters and Knights of the Order admitted to siring offspring, although some of them had died, some of the woman that the males had chosen hadn't survived the birth, each case was different and everyone brought forth their testimonies, testimonies that were recorded for future use as they described the love, and the secrecy, how great it was to love and how horrible it felt to have to hide, to keep it all bottled up inside, how they felt like their secrets made them ticking time bombs. That was what they all had in common, even when Jedi like Obi-Wan Kenobi revealed that they had loved and lost, that they would have left the Order if their love had asked.

At First, Master Yoda had believed it was only for support for Young Skywalker that they came forward, but as the numbers increased, he believed it was something more. One month ago, Master Kit and Master Kota had returned from their visit with the Skywalkers enlightened. They had never seen Knight Skywalker so happy, so free of the darkness they admitted to him. Master Kota even admitted his attachment to his militia, and he was present with the Marek's child Gavin was born, he had felt as if he had to be there, he had explained to Master Yoda later. The Force was changing, and Master Yoda had been oblivious to it, perhaps he had even been wrong. Master Yoda was old and with that age granted him a degree of wisdom, but he was no longer blind, and he was leaving, not permantly, but on a meditative retreat, he had to reconnect with the Living Force and find out how this would affect the Unifying Force. Nothing was left to chance. He had felt the fall of Master Windu, and he had been blind for too many years to count to the dark path that his friend walked, for he had known, Mace too had an attachment, and attachment that blinded him to anything else, an attachment that he guessed made him blind to anything else. Mace loved the Republic, he loved democracy, and he loved the Jedi. These things Master Yoda had known were good. Mace had always treated Anakin Skywalker as the slave he had been, Master Yoda now admitted to himself, and he wondered if he hadn't as well.

He knew that Skywalker was a more than capable Jedi with the highest midiclorian count they had ever seen, well at least, since the tests had been invented, and that someday Skywalker would even surpass himself, and he had looked into the boy's future and saw darkness caused by the fear and anger that the boy held, he had failed to see the strength and goodness that had resided there, blinded by the fear and anger, it was only when his abilities had shown themselves during the Battle of Naboo that Master Yoda had decided it would be too dangerous to allow the boy free reign to perhaps be found by the Sith and trained as one of them that Master Yoda had relented, and allowed the boy to be trained. Still, he hadn't thought that the young Kenobi was capable. For once, he had been overruled. He had been wrong; the bond of friendship that held the two together appeared unbreakable, only time would tell.

"Grand Master Plo Koon, you are. Leave the Jedi, in your capable hands, I do," he told him, as the Jedi followed him, and since Master Yoda wasn't as young as he had once been, he could not stop him. He packed the few essentials, extra clothes and enough credits for his next meal. "My congratulations, give Skywalker," he told the now-Grand Master, he could feel the spread of the dark side, but also of the light. He made one stop, to visit his old apprentice. "Lost are you?" he asked.

"Ah, Master Yoda, how wonderful of you to grace a humble servant such as myself with your all-encompassing presence," he heard the voice of his old apprentice say. Master Yoda looked at him, looked into his future and he saw conflicting future flicker through his mind. He saw Master Dooku recovered from his stint on the dark side, made stronger by it, he saw him sitting on the Council, he saw him going to Dex with a group of Jedi, Skywalker being one of them as they laughed, all bitterness gone, replaced by a calming friendship, he saw a group of Jedi younglings running toward the group. He heard Skywalker's deep warm laugh as he called out to him, "Slow down, you must first learn to walk before you run," and his words proved true as the blond haired blue eyed boy stumbled. They boy got up and stuck his tongue out at the giggling he had caused in his twin.

"You tripped me," he accused his twin.

"Did not."

"Did too," Master Yoda laughed warmly, feeling their childhood innocence, as the boy blushed. There was a younger child there, who unknowingly climbed up on Master Dooku's leg, stealing his drink.

"Jinn," the father called, "Where are your manners? I apologize for my son's lack of decorum, Tyrone," Anakin Skywalker said as he narrowed his eyes and the young blonde haired brown eyed boy put his arms around Dooku and whispered. Master Yoda had noticed two girls with ginger hair that just had to be Kenobi's. Obi-Wan had pulled the younger girl into his lap, and hugged her. She seemed content to stay there as her gray eyes flittered over the scene before her. If Master Yoda wasn't mistaken there had been some Tortuga's that had run by too fast for him to identify.

. "If I apologize can I have some more?" Tyrone Dooku laughed as he set the boy on his feet, unwilling to admit the affect that the boy had on him.

"Anakin, it's fine," Tyrone Dooku said and Master Yoda's vision changed, he saw Dooku in this cage murdered with all hope of that easy relationship gone. Master Yoda saw a super weapon blow up the planet of Alderraan and he saw Skywalker curse in Huttese and he looked at his wife.

"We're too late, I'm sorry Padme, and Bail was a good friend."

"Maybe he got off in time," Padme sniffled. Again, Master Yoda saw the child Jinn, his dark eyes flashing. Jinn looked to be about ten this time. Master Yoda noticed the Senator's rounder belly and wondered if there was another Skywalker on the way, or if she had just gotten plump with age.

"We should have done something, Dad! We could have, we're Jedi!" Master Yoda was surprised at the calmness in the older Jedi's face although there was obvious sadness as well.

"There are some things that happen for a reason, sometimes we aren't meant to save, but we will never give up. Never," he said as he ruffled his son's blonde head. "Artoo, do a sweep for life forms," he said. The scene shifted although it was the same future and he saw his friend with a bionic arm, ungloved as Skywalker's was. He laughed, and his eyes were a Sithly yellow.

"Looks like we will never have to worry about an insurgence on Alderaan again," the former Mace Windu said. "I doubt we will ever worry about an insurgence ever again, Tarkin. Take the prisoner away." Master Yoda gasped as he noticed it was little Leia Skywalker, that was led away, tears of anger and fury streaking her face. She was older in this vision possible fifteen. She yanked away from a trooper and spit in his face, only to be awarded as a huge black hand came down into her face. She cried out in pain, but met his eyes coolly.

"My father will come for me, you will not win, Darth Wrath, the more power you think you have, the more of it you will lose."

"I spared your mother, I will not make the same mistake again," he added, "Add her to the execution list, and make it permanent, I want to draw Skywalker out, send him a message. His only daughter, looks like Daddy should have kept you closer to home," he sneered as he raised his hand and struck her with Force lightning, her hand went to her belt, and Wrath sneered as he held her lightsaber, "Looking for this, Princess," he asked, and he struck her, but she had done something odd, she balled up her hand and caught it, redirecting the lightning at him as she shook off the troopers and ran.

"Luke, Luke, where are you?" Master Yoda looked up as the vision fell away.

"A bad master was I?" he asked. Count Dooku hung his head in shame.

"No master, a better master than I was, you have always been."

"Why turn to the Dark Side, did you?"

"Once you start down the Dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny," Count Dooku quoted; unaware of what had happened to Master Yoda.

"A master of Darkness, are you still?" Master Yoda persisted.

"I don't know." Master Yoda grabbed his hands with insistence.

"Give up the darkness, or your future doomed it will be. Accept you, the Council can."

"I thought I could fulfill the prophecy," Count Dooku admitted. "Skywalker was just a boy, everything just got so twisted and corrupted, I don't know when or where I went wrong," he admitted.

"Thank you," Master Yoda said as he turned away, leaving Coruscent to meditate on the conflicting futures, and see what were the turning points therein.


	40. Chapter 40

Anakin's Surprise

Anakin had invited the Naberrie's over to their lake house later in the day, it was time that they told Padme's parents that they were going to become grandparents, that Anakin and Padme would be the happy parents to twin children. After much discussion, Padme and Anakin had decided that they didn't want to know the sex of their children, some things, Padme had said, should be a surprise, and Anakin agreed with his wife. With Anakin's vast amount of Force powers there weren't many things that were good surprises and he was ready for a good surprise, this war had taken much from both of them, but Anakin felt that the twins would be a new beginnings, a way to start over and maybe even regain part of the innocence they had lost along the way.

Anakin turned his head, and looked at the silky chestnut curls on his chest, Padme always ended up with her head on his chest. He lifted her off of him carefully, as he traced patterns in her hair. If she was awake, she would undoubtedly scold him for messing up her hair, telling him how it would take hours to work out the tangles, and that she hadn't brought her handmaidens with her. Anakin could sense his padawan and his master throughout the Force dueling with their lightsabers, keeping up with their training; they were still in the middle of a war, after all. Anakin looked down at the two-piece silk lilac Nubian nightgown she had worn to bed, memories of making love to her before helping her into it flashed across his memory, they had to be careful now because of the baby, but they still found comfort within one another's flesh, in the joining of their spirits, in the sharing of their love. He found his gaze on her belly, and he looked back up at his wife, she was asleep, he used the Force to feel where her sleep patterns were so that she wouldn't wake up as he pulled up his mechanical hand leaning his head on it, he felt the mechanical hinges support the weight of his head as he used his flesh-hand to touch the rounded, hard flesh, that his younglings were growing end. He never touched them with something so mechanical and unreal; he was shamed by it, and afraid that it would harm them. He watched as a tiny foot made an indication in her belly, and he smiled.

"Are you awake, little angel?" he whispered in a deep, husky voice, one full of love and admiration, one full of awe. He felt one kick, and was taking that for a yes. "I'm an early riser," he told the younglings, "It's a habit from being a Jedi and a General of the Republic, we are in the middle of a war," he told them sadly. "I hope it's over before your born, I know that's optimistic considering that's just months away, but I hate for you to be born into a world as unknown as the one I'm living in. I love you," he said reaching down and kissing her belly. "I wish I could really hold and kiss you," he told them. "Once we capture General Grievous we should be able to end it, I captured Count Dooku, he's not exactly what I was expecting a Sith Lord to be, he's rough along the edges but I believe as does Master Plo that he's not beyond redemption. The Jedi Order is changing and Master Plo wants my help in implementing the changes, he believes my title as the Chosen One can sway the Old Guard," Anakin explained. "Jedi aren't supposed to get married or have younglings, but it's not the first time I've broken the rules, and I would do it again, I would do anything for you and your mother," he said as he felt small arms envelope him.

"Oh, Ani," Padme whispered, touched by what she was hearing.

"You weren't supposed to wake up yet, you are interrupting my talk with the twins," he told her, humor in his eyes.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," she whispered, trying to keep the humor, "I'll just go back to sleep until you are done."

"Force, you are so beautiful," he told her in a voice of awe, a voice that was half a grown as he brought her lips to his.

"My love," she whispered between kisses. "My beautiful Anakin, how could we create such a perfect life, and two of them?" He chuckled as he lost himself in her golden-brown eyes.

"I know I don't deserve it, but I will earn this life, Force, who would have ever thought a simple slave from Tattooine could have so much?" he asked, as he leaned his forehead against her own, and brought his human hand up to cup her head, letting their souls meld within the Force, before he took a shaky breathe, amazed at the depth of feeling both she and the unborn twins felt for him. For Him! He entwined his hand with hers and brought it to his lips. "I love you more than life itself, you truly are the very best part of me," he said as he got up and went to find her breakfast. He laughed at her favorite snack as of late. Nubian fruit and chocolate. He found Padme propped up in bed, the pillows behind her head. He sat beside her and began peeling the Nubian fruit, as she pretended to sneak the Nubian chocolate. Just before it reached her mouth he used the Force and waved it away.

"Ani!" she pouted. "You know better than to keep a pregnant Skywalker from her chocolate," she said, as she made a vicious swipe at the chocolate.

"Open up, my love," he told her, not taking his eyes off the fruit. She did as commanded and felt it swirl up in front of her face, teasing the corners of her lips before it fell on the tip of her tongue, Padme moaned in delight at the taste of the delightful sensation. Anakin groaned.

"Keep that up, my love, and you won't get out of bed all day," he said, with a pained look of desire.

"Anakin, how can you still want me when I'm as big as a house?"

"How can I not desire the woman who is having my children, who has more spirit and heart than any being in the galaxy, who is as intelligent as she is beautiful, who makes my heart light up just being in your presence…" he continues as she opened up and he dropped an apple in. He pulled the covers off of her, "My love you are everything I could have ever imagined I wanted in my life and more. Are your feet bothering you?" he asked as he took one into his hand and began massaging it. She didn't know which felt better the massage or the chocolate. He recoiled as he mechanical had brushed her skin and pulled away. She reached for him quickly.

"Anakin, don't go," she told him. "It doesn't hurt me, if you think it disgusts me, you are very wrong, I think of it as what it is, a sacrifice, an honorable sacrifice you made for the Republic, for the Jedi, and for me." 

"Padme, it's inhuman, it's like I'm a droid," he said, his voice tight and cold, filled with shame. "I was rash and I paid the price, it had nothing to do with being any kind of hero, I paid the price for my arrogance, and I won't subject you or our younglings to it."

"Anakin, I love you, and that means loving all of you including your bionic hand," she reached out and touched him and it, running her fingers over the golden fingers as she had during their honeymoon. She slipped a Nubian chocolate in his mouth and they began laughing.

"Come on, love, as much as I would like to we can't remain abed all day," he helped her up and out of her Nubian nightgown and into a day dress that was the same color as her nightgown except it had flowers in it and Anakin helped put lilacs in her hair, the lilac train reached passed her feet, the outfit was comfortable, and Anakin told her she looked beautiful.

Anakin had slept in just his black Jedi pants so he put his garb back on, omitting the robe that he only wore if he was going out. He put on his belt and made sure his lightsaber was functioned and make sure he had food rations and a rebreather in his belt. He was a Jedi and you never knew. He brushed out his longer hair, running his hands through it, he hadn't realized it had gotten so long, he had thought about cutting it, to which Padme had told him not to dear. He began polishing his boots; he planned on looking his best when his in-laws came to visit. He pulled out a blaster and handed it to Padme.

"I want you to train for a little while with Jesse and Boil, I'll feel better. I will have to return to the Temple soon, and I fear that my enemies may come for you," he told he, handing her the blaster as his lips touched her cheeks. "I couldn't bare it if anything happened to you, to any of you."

"It has been awhile," Padme said, "but I doubt I've forgotten how to use it," she said, taking the blaster in her hand. Anakin set it on stun.

Anakin went out to the veranda where Obi-Wan and Ahsoka were sparring. Obi-Wan held his own against Anakin's young padawan, she still used the reverse grip and it had always worried him, he didn't want anything to happen to her and although she was competent, he worried that that grip would get her in trouble. She was far more acrobatic than Obi-Wan was and he watched as she held her own, great pride welled up within him as he didn't feel the need to correct her, merely watched. Ahsoka made a mistake, and Obi-Wan disarmed her, they bowed and Anakin couldn't help but clap.

"How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough, if you would just use the standard grip, you could easily defeat Obi-Wan," Anakin couldn't help but say.

"We've been over this before," Ahsoka said through gritted teeth.

"So we have," Anakin agreed. "You should practice more styles that just your own," Anakin added. "It depends on your opponent which style will work best. That style could suit you but instead of the acrobats," Anakin continued, "You will have to use your strength to force an opening from Obi-Wan, my old master is a master of defense," Anakin said with a smile as he ignited his lightsaber and demonstrated. Even though Obi-Wan's defenses stayed strong Anakin pushed for an opening, and then disengaged his lightsaber, the lesson over. "Master, I have a favor to ask you. I want to fix up the baby's room as a surprise for my wife, I will need some help," he added.

"Anything," Obi-Wan told him. Anakin looked back at his padawan.

"Snips, do you think you can keep her busy, while we set it up?"

"Of course, Padme and I go way back, Master," Ahsoka said with a smile, go get your surprise ready. Anakin and Obi-Wan went to speak with Boil and Jesse and they nodded their agreement. Anakin headed to his father-in-laws house and explained the situation.

"Dad, as promised, this is the man who has been a father to me, my mentor, Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, the greatest Jedi Master of the Order," Anakin introduced, "Master, this is Reween Neberrie, Padme's father," he introduced him. Rewee smiled warmly.

"Any family of Anakin's is welcome in my home; I won't here another word on the subject."

"Dad, it's not that. Do you remember when we talked last?" Anakin asked. Rewee nodded, "Well, Padme and I are to have twins in four months' time," he told his father-in-law, "And to that end I need you help and that of Darred, I want to surprise Padme with a baby room," Anakin explained. Rewee nodded and motioned for Darred to follow as they set about their surprise for Padme. Rewee embraced the younger man in a hug.

"Congratulations, son, now you will experience all the joy this world has to bring. I always wanted a home and family for my Padme," Rewee said, tears filling his eyes.

"Thank you, sir," Anakin said, a little embarrassed as they headed to town and bought the things they needed. The men laughed and joked with each other.

"Anakin," Darred told him, "I think this is normally a woman's forte," he slapped his back.

"Quite right, I've never been subject to so many stares," Obi-Wan said, blushing slightly. The men made a day of it, and Anakin felt new friendships being forged and old bonds being strengthened, if only this day could last forever, this feeling, this was what he wanted out of life, friends, family, laughter but he knew that it wouldn't last there was still the Clone Wars, and there was still many dark siders on the loose and until they were brought to justice this would remain temporally, but Anakin hoped soon, this would be his life. Anakin had never had many friends and surrounded with his master, his father in law, and his brother in law, Anakin felt something he had never felt before…accepted for just who and what he was, there were no expectations, no burdens, just acceptance and friendship offered and returned.


	41. Sith Training

Sith Training

Darth Maul went to check on the appearance of Satine, she was given room to eat and use the toilet, but little else, and so her appearance wasn't what it had been. The Duchess's hair hung loosely and stringy around her shoulders, her shoulders were bare, and she hadn't bathed or changed clothed since she got here, which he could tell was an indignity to the Mandalorian Duchess. So much for beauty he thought cruelly of Obi-Wan's prize. He had yet to break her spirit, but that would come in time. He went in to talk to her, smiling as he did at the thought of Obi-Wan's prize in his possession, the Jedi would suffer and Kenobi most of all. He just had to figure out how to make him suffer most. He ignited his lightsaber and slashed through her clothes, and her eyes opening glaring at him in fury, her hands balled into fists.

"Oh come now, the pacifist from Mandalore wouldn't dare strike me, that would be considered violence, now wouldn't it?" he taunted her, as he tossed her an outfit, much like the ones Jabba kept for his slaves, except this one was of green and black. She looked at it in distaste.

"I will not wear that," she stated her voice pronounced on each word.

"Then you will wear nothing, and believe me, I will give you to the crew as you are now," he told her, his yellow eyes flashing as the hum of his lightsaber faded away.

"Then go away so I may dress in privacy."

"Privacy must be earned," he told her as his eyes roamed her body, he would guess she was okay for a human, he could only imagine what Kenobi saw in the pacifists. "Doubtless, Kenobi is more interested in your spirit than your body, mores the pity," he told her, as she glared at him and turned away from him, recoiling as her skin touched the fabric.

"Where are my undergarments?" she asked.

"None are required, Duchess," he informed her. She made a sound of frustration as she put on the brazier top, her skin crawling as the garment touched her skin, the velvet cage pushed and prodded her body in the most disgusting light, displaying her like a slave up for auction, and the bottom was no better it was a skirt of green that reached her ankles yet it was split up both sides to her hip, and then she was tossed shoes the color of space that had heels at least five inches long, how she could ever walk in these she had no idea. She felt him behind her and shuddered, itching to move away. She knew this was in some way revenge against Obi. He clasped a thick slaver's collar around her neck, and tugged at the chain, so that she had no choice but to move and follow his direction. She would not break, and she could only hope that he would kill her before Obi discovered her predicament. He put his hands on her slower feeling for her asset and that was when she hit him in the jaw, she should have restrained herself, for he raised his hands and threw her into the side of the wall and everything went black. Darth Maul smiled to himself, when the time was right she would make an excellent asset for Darth Wrath, he smiled at the thought of the Former Jedi with Kenobi's little girlfriend, and he wondered how Kenobi would respond. That entire non-attachment thing and now the Duchess would be a slave to his apprentice, the irony of it all. He picked her up and stabbed her with a syringe, it wouldn't do for Kenobi to find her too soon, and that wouldn't do at all. He hadn't hit her, he wanted her to be recognizable, and he sent some lesser dark acolytes to bathe her, and to oil that precious white skin of hers.

He entered the room of his apprentice and soaked in the feeling of darkness that seemed to seep from the very walls. He reached out his hand and yanked his apprentice out of bed. "Follow me," he said simply, throwing the apprentice out the doorway, excreting his power over the former Jedi. "As the Jedi have a Code, so do the Sith. The rule of two has been compromised, it up to us to restore it. Master Sidious and I were supposed to create the Clone Wars, that was compromised when Kenobi cut me in half," he said, showing his scar. "When he took Tyrannous as an apprentice, it was ruined, and then I took Savage, with the death of Savage we have one thing to do, take out Tyrannous and Sidious, and we shall rule the Sith, and the Galaxy," Darth Maul explained.

"And Skywalker. Skywalker cannot be allowed to live," he said his dark eyes flashing as the room began to shake, and Maul felt fear, this Jedi had the potential to become more powerful than him.

"We can hurt Skywalker but hurting Kenobi, and in that I can help," he said with a smile, "But first you must prove your worth, your commitment to the Sith," Maul stated. "Travel to Dantooine, and destroy the Jedi Enclave there, when the task is complete, you will be rewarded," he told Wrath. "There is only one bit of advice I can give you, and that's the Sith Code.

Peace is a lie, there is only passion;

Through passion, I gain strength;  
Through strength, I gain power,  
Through power, I gain victory;  
Through victory, my chains are broken.  
The Force shall free me." Darth Wrath contemplated the words and committed them to memory. This was the life he had chosen to eliminate Skywalker he would do whatever it took, it was the only way to ensure peace and stability to the life he had been born, he would not allow a single slave from Tattooine to destroy it. Darth Maul started to let him leave, but held him back. He pushed a button and the unconscious Satine was brought forth.

"Who is this?"

"Whoever you want her to be. She is yours, a gift in advance for your service to the Sith." Darth Wrath smiled as he touched the head of hair, pulling it hard.

"Mine, possessions?"

"Yes, we Sith live life as it was meant to be lived, not denying ourselves the pleasures that are needed." Darth Wrath smiled at the woman in one of the acolytes arms. "She is your slave, to do with as you will. Indulge you baser desires, Darth Wrath," Darth Maul told him, and he heard a laugh as Darth Wrath slung her over his shoulder roughly, putting bruises on her skin. He wondered what he should call his slave. She looked vaguely familiar.

"Wermo," he would call her, which from his dealings with the Hutts, he had learned meant 'stupid person' Wrath smiled as he put her in the prison on his ship and headed for the Enclave on Dantooine. He smiled as he set the course for Dantooine, he would never have any trouble there, the people of Dantooine respected him for winning a battle without his lighsaber, this was almost too easy, he thought as he entered ligthspeed.


	42. Chapter 42

Leaving Naboo

Anakin's com went off and he was being summoned back to the Temple. He swore in Huttese. "Keepuna, E chu ta," as he looked at the message. At least he was on his way back to the Lake House after purchasing most of the necessary items, of course Padme would have to understand that he had taken her father up on his offer to pay for it on the condition that he would pay him back when he could, Anakin wasn't exactly sure how he would at the moment and had told Rewee that, who had responded not to worry about it. Anakin surveyed the crib, the Jedi starfighter decorations, the bantha plushed animals, the rocking chair that they would be using and the mountains of clothes and diapers, bottles and pacifiers.

It made him laugh to think soon they would need all these things. He imagined Padme and him each holding twin as they rocked them to sleep, even after all these months he could hardly believe he had been so lucky. By what star in the Force had he been born that he deserved to have it all, his life-long dream of being a Jedi, the woman he had always known he would marry, the closest friends anyone could ask for, and being accepted by his men and Padme's family, and now he was to be a father. He looked back at his brother-in-law and father in law as they helped him get things to the Lake House. Jesse opened the door to the room Padme had said was to be the nursery with a smile and a wink.

"I take it the mission was a success, General Skywalker," he said and Anakin smiled.

"Yes, is Padme still with Ahsoka."

"I'd say see for yourself but then she would see you."

"Quite right," Anakin responded.

"Boil's with her, he asked how you two met and she's been in there for over an hour," Jesse said with a wink. Anakin smiled as he Rewee, Darred, and Obi-Wan moved as quietly as possible. Anakin smiled as they put them down and Anakin used the Force to place the crib near the window, which overlooked the gardens, and the beauear on the wall, opening and shutting the drawers as he added the clothes. There was another table with fresh flowers on it, and starfighter decals on the wall, along with holos of him an d Padme, of him and Obi-Wan and Ahsoka, he thought he should get a new holo before the baby was born, of his entire family. He added a TIE fighter mobile over the crib, and stood back and smiled. He waited for the lecture from Obi-Wan about using the Force for personal reasons but it never came. Anakin turned to his brother and father in law.

"I can't thank you enough," he told them.

"Anytime, I expect some help when Sola and I finally have the boy we've been dreaming of."

"Absolutly," Anakin replied. Anakin heard footsteps behind him,

"Ani? Ani, is that you?" he heard, as the men moved out of the doorway and into the room. "Dad…." Padme trailed off as she saw the room, and her eyes filled with tears as she looked at her husband. "Ani, you did all of this…for me?" she asked as her voice broke, and the tears streamed down her face faster and faster. He crossed the room in two easy strides.

"Hey, Padme, my angel, my love, don't cry, it was supposed to be a surprise, I only wanted to make you happy." Padme smiled as she wiped her eyes.

"These are happy tears," she told him. "I just can't believe you did all this for me….for us," she told him, after all their fights about how duty came first Anakin was proving to her time and time again that all that mattered was their family. She brought her lips to his and his laid his hand across her belly.

"We are a family, Padme, what happens to one of us, effects us all. And I had some help, I had to call in a few favors," he told her with a teasing grin, as he kissed the top of her head.

"Dad…you know?" she asked, swatting Anakin lightly.

"Yeah, I couldn't carry all this stuff by myself," he said as Ahsoka came into the room.

"Wow, Master, you did good," she told him.

"Thanks, Snips. Ahsoka, this is Padme's father, Rewee, and her brother in law, Darred. Dad, Darred, my padawan, Ahsoka Tano, the most talented padawan in the whole order." Rewee, Darred, Obi-Wan, and Ahsoka left the couple alone.

"Padme, I've been called back to the Temple, I hate to leave you, but I have to, this war has to be ended for you and the twins, and I have to report about Count Dooku and Master Windu, they need me, Padme," he said, worry crossing his face. "I'm the one the captured Dooku, and if I can just find the location of the Sith master, I believe this war will be over. I don't want our children to have to live through this war, I want it to be over," he told her. "Please, stay here, stay safe," he pleaded.

"I will do my best, however if I'm needed, I have to go the same as you. I am a Senator, and have been on leave long enough. Almost three months is as long for me as it is for you." Anakin and Padme walked toward their room where Anakin began packing. He packed a few of his Jedi robes which were embroidered with his name on the inside in Nubian script, he had protested when Padme had begun, but she had gradually replaced what the Council had provided him with, with more expensive material as well as normal clothes, clothes that wouldn't make him instantly recognizable as a Jedi, he only felt comfortable dressed as a Jedi despite the superior quality.

"You com me the minute anything happens, I will always be here for you and the twins, love. I'm going to miss them and you," he said, thinking about the mornings how he would talk to them, and tell them how much he loved them, how he would reach out to them and send his love to their force presences. And Padme, he would miss waking up next to her and falling asleep with her in his arms. It was so much harder to leave now that he was leaving behind not only a wife, but younglings as well. He looked down at the plain silver band on his hand and smiled as he saw the twin to his own. He had wondered if she wanted something more elegant, instead of something simple. Before he had had to take off the ring before returning to the Temple, now he would simply wear it under his gloves. "I love you, always," he said, kissing her for the last time in a while. He kissed her a kiss full of longing and security, of always being there for her, a kiss of tenderness and love.

"Come back to me."

"I will…now that I know what I'm coming home too. Please, before you do anything, talk to Bail," he asked her.

"I promise," she said as she slowly let him go, releasing his hand as he went. Anakin stopped to talk to Boil and Jesse, giving them orders on how to look after Padme and to send him a message if she left the planet. Then, he along with Obi-Wan and Ahsoka boarded the _Skywalker _and set a course for the Jedi Temple on Coruscent.

"Ahsoka, are you sure you want to do this?" Anakin asked her. "You don't have to, you can stay with Padme if you need to."

"You said they were changing, I'm willing to give them a chance if you are."

"That's my girl," he told her slapping her arm, playfully. "You are much more forgiving than I would be," he said, with a smile. "Forgiveness has never come easy for me."

"I think you underestimate yourself," she replied, and Anakin nodded. "I'm going to meditate, you should do the same. Get some rest, Master," he said going off to be by himself as he opened himself up to the waves of the Force.


	43. Return to the Order

Return to the Order

Luckily, their old rooms at the Temple hadn't been given away, as Anakin, Obi-Wan and Ahsoka made their way to their old room. Obi-Wan because of his status as a member of the Council had a larger room and it was his alone. Anakin on the other hand had been sharing a room with his padawan prior to her Trial for the bombing of the Temple. Artoo beeped as he followed Anakin and Ahsoka. Anakin looked around the room, he hadn't really spent much time here since his marriage to Padme, and he was always sneaking out and slipping back in. This time, however, his wife was on Naboo, where he wanted her, no, he corrected himself, where he needed her, safe and away from their enemies. He turned toward the refresher but heard the shower going and knew his apprentice had already busied herself in the shower, beating him to it. He always liked a shower after traveling and his apprentice appeared of a same mind. When she exited the refresher clothed in her old Jedi garb, Anakin handed her her padawan braid.

"All good things must come to an end, we are back Snips."

"Thanks, Master," she said fastening the padawan braid onto her lekku. He grabbed a change of clothes and headed into the refresher as he pondered how much things had changed, and how much they had stayed the same. Anakin smiled as he took a holo of him and Padme and put it on his side of their room before reporting to the Council. Anakin didn't bother knocking they would have sensed him the moment he got close to the Capital, and walked in bowing slightly, with the respect awarded their rank.

"You wanted to see me, Masters," he asked as he stood in the middle of the room.

"Yes, Welcome home, Anakin Skywalker," Master Plo said. "How is you wife?" Anakin looked up at him, though he had been one of his most staunch supporters nevertheless, it was odd to talk about his wife to the Jedi. He noticed that Master Obi-Wan had regained his seat while he had been in his room, and noticed that among Master Plo was Master Kit, Master Ti, Master Mundi, and Master Kota. That was very interesting, he had thought the Council had considered Master Kota too much of a maverick, like Master Qui-Gon.

"Very pregnant," Anakin replied, and Obi-Wan chuckled.

"I doubt Padme would like that description, Anakin," Obi-Wan's former master teased him. Was this really happening? Was everything going to be okay?

"We're having twins," Anakin continued and he heard a mummer of approval and disapproval.

"Will you turn your twins over to the Jedi for training?" Master Ti asked. Anakin's eyes shot to Master Plo who had promised him he would be able to keep his children. "It is only fair," she continued, with the agreement of Master Mundi. "After all, before you joined us you were a slave," Anakin felt the beast that had been put to death upon leaving the Order, snap at attention. "Your children rightly belong to the Order." Anakin closed his eyes, feeling the possessiveness for his children struggle for dominance. Was this there plan? Allow him to keep Padme at the expense of his children.

"No, you have it wrong, with all respect, Master Ti," Obi-Wan spoke up for him, as Anakin attempted to release his emotions into the Force. His children, his wife. The Order could hang for all he cared. They were his family, a family that he and Padme created.

"Padme is not a Jedi," Anakin said, "And we will not give up our children at infancy," he said, through clenched teeth. "I believe my wife, as a Senator of Naboo, has some say in the matter, and so do I. It is not the Jedi way to force parents to give up their children," Anakin argued. "My mother was given a choice."

"And we would expect you to make the same choice your mother did," Master Mundi said. "These children have the ability to become some of the greatest warriors, the greatest Jedi the Order has ever seen. Just imagine their midiclorian count!" Anakin kept himself contained, as they talked about his children as things not being.

"I'm surprised at you," Anakin spoke softly, belying his short temper. Obi-Wan frowned; he knew Anakin was truly mad when his voice lowered to that octave. "You Master Mundi, who are married and have children, talk about me giving up my children before they are born, because of their high midiclorian count. You talk of my children as warriors and they haven't even left their mother's womb. What about my wife's maternal desired? I remember a time when the Jedi were not warriors, but peacekeepers, have you all forgotten those days?" Anakin asked.

"I'm with Anakin, and he does not belong to the Jedi, he won his own freedom, he chose upon his own free will to become a Jedi," Obi-Wan turned his penetrating stare on Master Ti, who looked away guiltily.

"But we have lost so many Jedi," Master Ti, explained.

"With this line of thinking you can hardly wonder why," Obi-Wan replied.

"I gave Skywalker my word that his children are his children as well as his wife. I would not for all the power of the universe, break my word," Master Plo said. "If we were to take his children, what about all the other Jedi who have been allowed to continue their marriage, continuing siring children. No, this is not an option. There is the birth of Galen Marek and we placed no such restrictions on his birth, although, he too, is strong in the Force. I will not give credence to such a thought, and I detest the thought that members of this Council have made this an issue. You have my apologies Skywalker, I for one, welcome you back with open arms, and an open heart, no explanations are needed." At those words, the dragon went back into hibernation.

"My children are worth everything to me, even my soul," Anakin said softly, and the Jedi knew he meant it. "There is nothing I wouldn't do for them," he said, before leaving and bumping into Chancellor Palpatine. "Your Excellency," Anakin said bowing, "What are you doing in the Jedi Temple?" he asked, suspiciously, ever since he had ordered him to dispose…no murder Count Dooku, Anakin didn't trust him as he once had.

"I have a meeting with a few of the Jedi."

"Isn't it normal protocol for the Jedi to meet with you at the Republica?" he asked.

"Things have changed since you've been gone, my boy," he said. Anakin frowned. "I heard what they wanted. I can make sure you will never lose your children, or your wife, that they won't take them; I could make sure they would forget about them. Come, walk with me," the Chancellor told him. Anakin looked at him suspiciously but walked with him.

"Is this a game, Chancellor, because I really, with all due respect, am in no mood for games?"

"Certainty not, Anakin. I don't play games. I have read some Sith holocrons, I am a man of great power, and it seems to me as to not be defeated by an enemy one must learn all they can from that enemy."

"Bu-but they are Sith," Anakin sputtered.

"I'm not Jedi, Anakin, so I cannot understand your logic. I am however, a politician, and from my readings and understanding, Anakin, the Sith and Jedi are fundamentally the same in almost every single way."

"But the Sith are evil."

"Evil is a point of view, my dear boy. Are the Jedi not evil for wanting to take your child from you?"

"This war has spread up too thin," Anakin defended, "They are doing what the feel is right, they will realize they are wrong, and I will not allow them to take my child."

"Imagine how heartbroken Senator Skywalker would be when they show up to take your child, ripping her or him from her arms, while you were away on a mission."

"They wouldn't, Obi-Wan wouldn't let them," Anakin said, fear grabbing hold of him as the dragon uncoiled himself.

"I heard what Master Mundi suggested."

"He was overruled, Master Plo is now the Grandmaster, he gave his word."

"I hate to be the one to tell you this, but there is a plot to overthrow him."

"No, he is a good and worthy Jedi. I can't listen to this. It's unethical," he told the Chancellor.

"The Jedi have amassed a great amount of power, they are secretive so that anyone not within the Order, doesn't know the rules, and they don't even stand beside your own. Even your padawan fell victim to their mercy."

"The Jedi use their power for good."

"Good is a point of view, Anakin," he said, and Anakin frowned before smiling.

"Snips, I'm so glad you are here," he said feeling like he had been fighting a dark wave, almost as if he had been being pulled underwater and was drowning, but at the presence of his apprentice he felt like the tidal wave was pushed back like Ahsoka was a lifeline in a sea of darkness. "You remember Chancellor Palpatine," he said, nodding from Ahsoka to Palpatine. More and more, he felt darkness around the Chancellor, like he was a cancer infecting him.

"Yes, I remember. How do you do, your Excellency?" she asked, flashing a worried look at Anakin. Their bond was always there just below the surface, and she had felt darkness taint it, darkness she hadn't felt in months, Anakin had become so much lighter while on Naboo, that she had rushed toward his presence trying to figure out what was wrong.

"It's….unfortunate that the Jedi turned their back on you," he said, and Ahsoka frowned, there was something about the way he said unfortunate that made her take note. After the Chancellor took his leave Ahsoka turned to Anakin.

"Master, it may not be my place, but there's something off about him."

"I used to trust him very much, but I believe you may be right. Would you keep an eye on him, I worry that the business with Count Dooku may have shaken him up more than he would want us to believe," Anakin replied, before going to visit Count Dooku.

Anakin smiled at Echo and Fives who were stationed outside Count Dooku's cell.

"Count Dooku," Anakin bowed, respectively, the Count had once been a Jedi.

"Master Skywalker, come to gloat I presume," Count Dooku said, looking up at the taller man. There was something about him that reminded him of his apprentice, was it because Qui-Gon had discovered Anakin on Tattoine or something more? He was curious, but he didn't much care. What did he care for? He wondered how his master was faring, and how long this mock-imprisonment would last.

"No, I haven't come here to gloat," Anakin said, coming into the prison cell. "You were right, about me touching the Dark Side."

"You wish for me to instruct you in the ways of the Dark Side, I have neither the time nor the inclination, Skywalker," he told the younger man.

"I want to know how to resist it," Anakin asked. Count Dooku laughed.

"If I knew that I wouldn't be here," he said gesturing to the cell they were in. Anakin nodded, remembering some things Master Obi-Wan had told him.

"It takes more will to resist the Dark Side than to give into the temptation to accept it," he quoted. "It takes a stronger Jedi to resist it, a stronger man, and I am strong enough."

"I once thought I was too. You remind me much of Qui-Gon," Count Dooku said after awhile. "It's more than the physical appearance although, you have his height, his broad shoulders, his blue eyes, and as a younger man his hair was around your color as well. Qui-Gon as I'm sure you are aware was a maverick, he took it upon himself to right the wrongs in the galaxy, you obviously meant something to him."

Anakin didn't know what to say so he kept quiet, before speaking. "And was Master Qui-Gon like his master? What were you before you became a Sith Master, I don't remember much more that a quick glimse of you on Coruscent before we returned to Naboo," Anakin admitted.

"You were still a boy, Skywalker, but Qui-Gon told me of the prophecy and how he belived you were the Chosen One. You were just a boy, I thought if we could destroy the Sith ourselves without involving you it would be better all around. I thought I was strong enough, but I was wrong, don't underestimate the dark side. The dark side is always there. It is patient, and it is kind, the brightest stars cast the darkest shadows. It always wins, Skywalker. The Dark's first gift is concealment, our true faces lie in the dark beneath our skins, our true hearts remain darker still," The Count spoke in a melodious voice that made him the leader of the Confederacy and Anakin listened, drawn in to his views, "But the greatest concealment lies not in protecting our secret truths but in hiding from us the truth of others."

"Go on," Anakin urged, he wasn't lost in the words, but the meaning, the voice was beguiling but Anakin had an ace up his sleeve, he knew that love was stronger than the darkness.

"The Dark protects us from what we dare not know. The second gift," Count Dooku continued, his eyes meeting the younger Jedi, "is the gift of illusion; the ease of gentle dreams in night's embrace," Count Dooku's voice turned mocking as if he knew of Anakin's dreams of his wife and children. Anakin wondered if the Count knew of his wife and children. "the beauty that imagination brings to what would repel in light's embrace. For instance a cladasine meeting between two lovers that know they are breaking all the rules, the Code, just to be together," Count Dooku looked at the young Jedi's face and other than a narrowing of his blue eyes, no emotion showed on his face, how very odd.

"But," Tyrone Dooku continued, "The greatest illusion is that the dark is temporary, that every night brings a new day. Because it is the day that is temporary. Day, dear Skywalker, is the illusion," Count Dooku looked again at Skywalker, who only nodded, seemingly not surprised by what he was saying. Count Dooku wondered why he was telling him all this. "It's third gift is the light itself: as if days were defined by the night that divides them, as if stars were defined by the infinite black through which they wheel, the dark embraces the light, and brings it forth between the center of its own self. With each victory of the light, the darkness wins."

"And what of love?" Anakin asked.

"A Sith does not need love, a Sith has no desire for love. Love is weakness."

"On that the Jedi and Sith agree. Love is dangerous to a Jedi, weakness to a Sith. I believe as Master Plo believes that you can be saved. Love is the answer to everything."

"I have never been in love, Skywalker," Count Dooku admitted.

"But you have loved, all love is not the same. I love my wife, my padawan, and my master in three different ways. You loved Qui-Gon," Anakin said, and it wasn't a question.

"Qui-Gon understood me," Dooku corrected.

"You loved him," Anakin repeated. "I can see it, it lingers within you, it was your justification for becoming a Sith, that and a young boy from Tattooine."

"Don't be so conceited, Skywalker," Dooku barked at him.

"Your reasons were not selfish ones."

"Perhaps I did it for glory." Anakin made a signal to Fives.

"No, you didn't. And you will think about what I've said, I'll be back," Anakin replied, heading back to the Council, he would speak to Obi-Wan and Master Plo alone, he didn't care to explain things to Master Mundi and Ti.


	44. Chapter 44

Ahsoka and the Jedi Council

Ahsoka Tano, Jedi padawan to Anakin Skywalker, didn't bother to wait to be summoned by the Council, after seeing her master; she had no patience for it. She didn't go through the normal channels and request a meeting with the Council; she didn't even wait and knock as they could feel her through the Force. Something they had said had upset Anakin, and it was almost like the Chancellor had pranced on their mistake going after Anakin, and she didn't like it, not one bit. She took a deep breath and released her emotions into the Force, asking herself to follow the will of the Force and none other.

"What happened?" she demanded, meeting the eyes of each and every member of the Council with accusations. "How could you let them Obi-Wan," she said, leaving off his honorific title as they had become closer during the last few months.

"That's Master, Master Kenobi," Shaak Ti, reminded her. "We are only looking after the best interest of the Jedi," Shaak Ti explained.

"Some members of the Council, I am ashamed to admit," Master Plo stood up and came to her. "I would like to speak to Ahsoka alone," he said, and the members of the Council disappeared, except for Obi-Wan. He came to Ahsoka as well. Master Plo met his eyes and nodded. "They believed that Skywalker's twin children would make an asset to the Order."

"They requested that they be turned over to the Order at birth."

"Do you have any idea what that would do to Anakin?" Ahsoka asked looking between Master Plo to Obi-Wan.

"They were overruled, Anakin is fine," Obi-Wan assured her.

"Little 'Soka," Master Plo said looking at her. "I am deeply sorry for my part in your expulsion from the Order," he hung his head in shame. "I am doing all that I can to make reparations within the Order and with you and your master as well," he explained. "I hope I have your forgiveness."

"You have it," she said, and he enveloped her in a hug, and she felt complete, as if this was the path she was meant to be on, she had had to leave the Order to become a Jedi, as odd as it sounded her path felt sure, felt right. She smiled at Master Plo, Anakin had been the only one to apologize and now she knew that she wasn't alone. No other Jedi would feel abandoned as she had, not if Master Plo had anything to say about it.

"Did I speak with you about the prophecy of the Chosen One?" Master Plo asked Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan waited. "It mentions a Guardian and Protector appointed for the Chosen One, which if Anakin is the Chosen One can only mean the two of you," Master Plo chuckled. "I bet you never thought you were mentioned, if we could only find the identity of the Dark One," Master Plo said with a frown.

"I have a feeling it has something to do with the Supreme Chancellor," Obi-Wan said cautiously.

"If indeed you are right, Obi-Wan, we must move quickly, before Anakin's told. When he fulfills his destiny there needs to be a system in place to replace him, so that the galaxy doesn't fall in total chaos. I will send Skywalker to talk to Dooku, I think with enough time together, Dooku will come back to us and confess the true master of the Dark Side."

"I hope you are right," Obi-Wan added.

"Do you trust Anakin?" Master Plo asked.

"He won't let me down, he never has," Obi-Wan replied with confidence. Master Plo was right, it had to be the way Master Plo described, it wouldn't do to just tell Anakin, he would never believe it coming that way, and Obi-Wan didn't know of any way to soften the blow. When Anakin needed him, the Jedi would be there for him, and he most of all. He just hoped that they would be able to take down the mastermimd, the dark one, on the darkest day the Galaxy had yet to face. Obi-Wan felt as if…the Force was telling him something. It was almost as if he could feel Satine through the Force. But she was dead, wasn't she? Obi-Wan took his leave, and went to Dex's to eat surprised to find his old padawan there. "Anakin, this is a pleasant surprise," Obi-Wan said with a smile, as he sat down. "Dex, the usual," Obi-Wan told his friend. "I want to apologize on behalf of the Council," he tried to explain, but Anakin waved away his words.

"I know you aren't trying to take my children from me," Anakin told him, as he downed a glass of Corellian ale.

"The Skywalker twins will be raised by their parents, you have my word Anakin," Obi-Wan reinated, "I had no idea Master Ti and Mundi would think something so perverse."

"Perhaps, they shouldn't be on the Council," Anakin replied. "You know its not the Jedi way. Master Windu always thought of me as a slave, and now he's fallen to the Dark Side, I felt it, Master," Anakin told him as his glass was refilled and he took a bite of his bantha burger.

"Perhaps, you are right, but until someone else is chosen, they are there. The Jedi are so spread out with this war," Obi-Wan continued. "How is Padme?" Obi-Wan asked, winking at Anakin as he changed the subject.

"She misses me, she says the twins are unusually active, that they miss me," he said, pride evident in his voice. "And that Boil and Jesse are getting on her nerves. I told her that they were there for her protection, and she disconnected the transmission," Anakin said with a laugh. "I hope she doesn't decide to do anything foolish," he said, looking worried.

"It can't be any worse than the scrapes you've gotten yourself in over the years," Obi-Wan said as his food arrived, along with his Corellian ale. It had been so long since he had enjoyed a good drink since both Jedi had refused to drink around Padme. They were indulging now. Obi-Wan got quiet for a moment. "I think Duchess Satine may be alive," he told Anakin. Anakin's eyes narrowed, as he tried to sense for her, but didn't know her presence well enough.

"Where would she be?" Anakin asked his master.

"With Darth Maul."

"Then we find Darth Maul," Anakin replied, downing another glass of the Corellian ale as his plate became empty.

"We can't just assign ourselves a mission," Obi-Wan explained. "They are given by the Council."

Anakin shrugged, "You are on the Council, assign us the mission," he stated, Anakin never did understand politics, despite being married to a politicaian. Maybe it was that simple, Obi-Wan thought.

"I worry what he might have done for her, if she is alive, he wants revenge on me."

"And Mace wants revenge on me, and I have no idea why," Anakin said with mock humor. "Master, I want to thank you," he said beginning to slur his words, "For training me. The Jedi would have sent me back…into slavery."

"I wouldn't have allowed that. Anakin, you are not a pathetic life form," Obi-Wan said, as the drink loosened his tongue, he found himself able to tell Anakin something that had borrowed him awhile, he was met with a silly grin of Anakin's, one from his boyhood.

"'Know that, Obi-Wan," he said and laughed. "went to see Dooku. Tell me, Master, how do I fight the darkness?" Anakin asked, his eyes bright, whether from the drink or the subject matter Obi-Wan didn't know.

"You know the answer to that, Anakin, you are the answer to that."

"I never asked to be the Chosen One, Master," Anakin said.

"I know that, Padawan," Obi-Wan said as they both stood, falling into one another and holding the other one up. "I would take it from you if I could. Love, Anakin is the answer. Love can ignite stars, a lone candle can hold back the Darkness, love is more than a candle. Love can ignite stars once thought dead. Love is always enough," Obi-Wan said in a choked voice.

"Dooku loved Qui-Gon," Anakin admitted to him, giving Obi-Wan the key to helping Dooku see the light. As soon as he sobered up he was going to see the misdirected Count. "Worried about the Chancellor, something is off with him."

Obi-Wan pounced on the opportunity to keep Anakin away from the Chancellor. "I have a mission for you, a mission you will like. We will set up the Temple for the Lost on Naboo. You will be in charge," he said, something he had only briefly discussed with Master Plo, but he was sure that he would agree for Obi-Wan was certain that Chancellor Palpatine was the Dark One, the one that could hide within plain sight. Anakin and Obi-Wan didn't bother taking their speeders but walked back to their rooms on the Jedi Temple, supporting one another, and using a Jedi mind trick whenever nessasary, instead of Anakin bothering Ahsoka he crashed in Obi-Wan's room, the two drunkards nursing one another back to health.


	45. Recordings

Conferences and Recordings

Padme missed Anakin. That was the long and the short of it, and it made her cranky, or maybe it was just her hormones acting up again, she didn't know. Anakin had sent Sabe home to her, from their apartment in the Senate, and though she was glad to see her, Sabe wasn't Anakin. Captain Typho, too, had returned to her. It was just like Anakin to send her more protection, she thought crankily. Padme was sipping on some herbal tea rather than the caff she wanted, since Anakin had told Three-pio that tea was better for the twins. Padme rolled her eyes, as she drained the last of the hot liquid and turned her eyes to the datapad. She had been watching the holonews, and following the Senate meetings, through Bail and Mon who were two of her dearest friends, in fact they were the only ones Anakin even tolerated. She was worried about the amount of emergency powers that the Chancellor was amassing very quickly, and the fact that his opposition seemed to disappear. She looked down at the bill she was working on to return some of those powers to the Senate. She contacted Bail via holo-confrence.

"Do you really think the Chancellor will agree?" Bail asked as she sent him the details of her bill.

"He has to, Bail. He must still believe in the ideals of the Republic, or else what are we fighting for?" Padme asked. "He was my Senator during my tenure as Queen, he must still hold me in high regard, if you think I'm needed I can return to Coruscent," she said, leaping at the idea.

"No, Padme, I would worry if you were to return to the Senate, and though Jar Jar Binks leaves something to be desired, his heart is in the right place. If you were to return and word of your condition were to get out…"

"I'm pregnant, Bail, not ill," Padme argued. "And this is my bill; I should be the one to present it. And it's not like I'm a fallen woman, Bail, I'm married for Force sake."

"I know and its exactly that that may put you in jeopardy, even with the outbreak of Jedi marriages, none of them are married to a Senator," Bail explained, "Please, Padme be reasonable. Anakin is friends with the Chancellor, how you think that would look, particularly since the Jedi get their orders from the Senate," Bail explained.

"And what of Count Dooku?" Padme asked.

"The Jedi won't let us touch him. They are determined after the Tano fiasco to stand behind one of their own," Bail explained.

"That's ridiculous, Count Dooku is not a Jedi but a Sith, he tried to have me assassinated, surely that crime along…"

"Anakin is one of the greatest supporters to keep him within their Order," Bail explained. She felt the babies become restless, and wondered if it was the subject matter or the fact that their father had been mentioned.

"I will speak to Anakin about this," Padme replied.

"And that is why you must stay on Naboo," Bail told her, "Situations like this…I don't know how the Senate will take the fact that you are married to a Jedi, that you have a Jedi in your bed and at your beck and call, they fear you, Padme, they fear the Jedi's ability and when coupled with a Senator…."

"I thank you for your honesty, Bail, and I will just have to do my best to convince them otherwise," Padme replied, ending the transmission. She sighed, she knew when she and Anakin had married that their life was about to get complicated. To be sure they didn't believe themselves so weak-minded that they could fall for a simple mind trick, she thought. Anakin had explained the particulars to a mind-trick, and unless they did a three on one, which had the capacity to damage the mind of the individual, Senators were reflectively safe. Three-pio came in to refill her tea and she felt like throwing it on the wall, the only reason she didn't because it would bring Sabe and the Clone Troopers to her side, and she had a feeling they were reporting every little thing to her husband, and she knew they were bored with their assignment. She had complained to Anakin but he had replied with the standard they were there for her protection. She had gotten used to Anakin's presence in the last few months, and now she missed him dreadfully. As if in agreement she felt another kick, almost as if they blamed her for his leaving. "Shh…" she told the little ones, "It's going to be alright, Daddy will be back soon, Luke. Leia, he wouldn't miss his family for anything, you must know that," she told them, and they seemed to calm. Sabe walked in there.

"So what's the plan, milady?" she asked, and Padme looked at her, a smile on her lips as she took in the similarities between herself and her handmaiden. She would keep her promise, but she had to show the Senate they had nothing to fear.

"Senator Amidala is returning to the Capital."

"Oh no, milady. General Skywalker would be very furious, he gave me specific instructions," Sabe began.

"Do you work for me or for him?" Padme asked. She knew it was a trick question, and didn't blame her handmaiden for remaining silent. Yes, she paid the handmaiden but Anakin was only looking out for her protection. She handed a small speaker device to her handmaiden and Sabe breathed a sigh of relief at least she wouldn't physically be in danger. "The Senate needs Senator Amidala."

"But Padme…I can't be seen with General Skywalker, and everyone knows your married now. How can I explain staying at the Senate while he's at the Jedi Temple?" she asked. "And milady, you're pregnant."

"A fact which is not well known," Padme said, going through her wardrobe and choosing outfits for Sabe. "It's either you go and allow me to speak to the Senate or I go and do it in person," she said, blackmailing Sabe. Sabe groaned as she agreed.

"General Skywalker will not be happy to see me," she explained.

"I'll deal with Anakin," Padme told her. "You have nothing to worry about, Anakin won't hurt me." Sabe gave her a sad, smile as she changed into the outfit Padme had chosen for her. Padme glanced at Sabe stomach and briefly missed her own smaller stomach; she rubbed her larger stomach as she felt the twins move. They were growing every day, becoming stronger like their daddy, she thought.

"Is everything alright?" Jesse came in to check. "Are you going somewhere?" he asked. A moment later Boil and Typho showed up and Padme groaned.

"You know, milady that you can't return to the Capital. I was assigned security detail."

"Two clones and the head of security," Boil added, "its overkill watching just one woman."

"Exactly, you should return to Kamino, visit your brothers, Typho can watch me well enough," she said trying to persuade them.

"It will be longer still; I would not for the entire Galaxy disappoint the General." Padme frowned, this was how it was day in and day out, she thought she might just go out of her mind. She watched with longing as Sabe left in a Nubian star cruiser, she knew she would not hear the end of this when Anakin found out what she had done, but it would be worth it to settle the unrest within the Senate. It was no surprise when Three-pio announced that Sola, Darred, and her parents were there for a visit. They all fussed over Padme too much in her opinion, and she wouldn't be surprised if Anakin was behind this too. She hoped he was suffering as much as she was.

"Did you see the holo-news?" Solo asked her turning it on.

"Although there have been many changes in the Jedi Order, we doubt the Council expected public drunkardness to be one of them. Here is a close up of Councilmember Obi-Wan Kenobi and his former apprentice 'The Hero With No Fear' Anakin Skywalker…" the camera zoomed in on two Jedi that were all too familiar to her.

"One three Anakin," she heard the voice of Obi-Wan, as he leaned on his padawan for support. "One."

"Three," Anakin finished.

"Two, my young padawan," Obi-Wan corrected, though he was slurring his words as Anakin leaned against him.

"Quite right, Master. Three," and Anakin and Obi-Wan began to sing. "I got death sticks in my hair, Jedi garb strewn everywhere, woke up in my chair…not in my bed," their voices began to get more and more off key, "holding Corellian ale in my hand, my ipod cranked up, I can't find my speeder," Obi-Wan burst out laughing and swayed falling into Anakin who caught him just barely before he nearly tumbled to the floor. And Padme had to laugh at her graceful husband being so obviously drunk. She saw the Clone Troopers leading them to a speeder, but the Jedi refusing, saying they could get home just fine. It was obviously Captain Rex who led the Clones at a safe distance keeping the riff raff away from the Jedi. Anakin continued singing. "And all the Jedi say, I started shooting doubles when you walk in, 'Adme," he sang slurring her name. "Now I'm broke but it was worth acting a fool…"

Obi-Wan picked up the lyrics at that point, "I found my credits, Good Force, Satine, Good time Satine, found me. It was worth breaking the Code to be with you…Oh, Satine; I made a fool over you. I was rockin on the bar, pouring my heart out over you. 'Cause all the Jedi say, I started shooting doubles when you walked in…" Padme knew she shouldn't laugh as the holorecorder played back the last. She knew some serious damage control needed to be done, but seeing her husband and the Negotiator lose it like that was too much, she threw her head back and laughed. She couldn't wait to see them again; she had really needed a laugh.


	46. Chapter 46

Barriss's Seduction

Anakin laid in his old padawan bed, across the room from Obi-Wan both men moaning as the noises of the Temple alerted them to the fact that the City of Lights as it was sometimes called, was waking up. Anakin was in the throes of a dream as his head pounded from last night's overindulgence. Even as the Force worked the poison from his system, he suffered from a pounding headache and oversensitivity to lights and sounds. He pulled the pillow over his head and moaned before using the Force to block out the lights. He heard the beginnings of an amused chuckle from his former master before his master too groaned and sent his appreciation through the force.

Anakin tossed as he saw his twins in his dream, no more than four years old. There was little Leia clad in Jedi robes, his training saber in her hand. He stopped and focused on her image, while at first glance she reminded one of her mother, she had the regal bearing down pat, and the dark hair and eyes, still, the pert nose reminded him of his mother, and there was more than a little bit of Anakin Skywalker in her in the defiant gleam of her eyes, and in the stubbornness of her chin. He suspected that she had his temper as well. Unlike him or like him her manner of dress defied the Jedi Order although instead of the black garb he was partial too she wore white. Beside her, stood her twin brother, sandy blonde hair becoming darker every day without the twin sons of Tattooine to bleach it, blue eyes looking out with serenity and for some reason he reminded Anakin more of Padme than himself. Anakin strode into the room with a smile for his children as he surveyed the other children within the room. There was Obi-Wan's oldest daughter, with hair so flaming red it was a wonder it didn't catch fire, and green eyes that shone brighter than any lightsaber crystal of the same color. There were a handful of other younglings within the room including Galen Marek. Anakin welcomed the class.

"Good morning, class," Anakin said with a smile, his lightsaber on his hip. He took it off and handed it to Leia.

"Good morning, Daddy," she said with a smile as she ignited the blade. Anakin used the Force to take it from her, earning a scowl.

"This is not a toy, when used correctly this weapon may save your life. As my master, Obi-Wan used to say," he intoned feeling Obi-Wan behind him in the Force, "on many of our adventures in which my lightsaber was misplaced, 'You must take care of it, Anakin, this lightsaber is your life. Now I've adjusted the settings so that if you do touch my lightsaber it will merely sting," Anakin replied, using the Force to send it back to his daughter.

"I see you are just beginning. I don't know what Master Plo was thinking leaving you in charge of the lightsaber training course. You are the younglings first introduction to a lightsaber. You, Anakin."

"Younglings, my master Obi-Wan Kenobi," Anakin stepped aside. "Would you rather take over, I am but your humble student," Anakin said with a teasing grin.

"I only came to check on your progress. Please, Anakin, continue. You have saved my life more than once."

"At least ten times if I'm not mistaken."

"Now Anakin, that business on Cato Nomodia doesn't count."

"And the nest of gundarks?" Anakin asked.

"That was merely an accident."

"With the Force," Anakin intoned with a smile, "There are no accidents."

"I see some of my lessons have finally sank in," Obi-Wan added, stressing the word finally as some of the younglings giggled. "How's Ahsoka?" Obi-Wan asked and Anakin's face clouded over.

"As well as can be expected. She's recuperating, but not fast enough, but she will survive. Shouldn't we have this discussion after class?"

"Quite right," Obi-Wan stated although he made no move to go.

"Isn't there something else you could be doing besides bothering me," Anakin asked as he used the Force to return his lightsaber to its spot on his belt. "My master is the master of Form III, Soresu," Anakin explained, "But we won't be getting to that yet. Today we are just making you comfortable with a lightsaber because make no mistake about it, a lightsaber is a weapon and a dangerous weapon at that," Anakin removed his glove and some of the younglings gasped. "I lost my arm when I was nineteen in the first Battle of Geneosis. I was head strong, stubborn, and impulsive."

"And how are you different?"

"I hope age has tempered my impatience," Anakin replied. "There are seven forms of lightsaber combat, though I will only teach you the first three."

"But Dad, don't you use Form V," Luke questioned.

"Yes as Youngling Skywalker has pointed out I have mastered Form V, Shien and Djem So, my mission is not to teach you how to attack but how to defend yourselves, how to survive, not how to press the attack."

"Wouldn't our best chance at survival being to attack?" Leia asked.

"When you are assigned masters then it will be up to the Jedi Knights that have chosen you to teach you the other forms."

"As you did Ahsoka?" Luke asked. Anakin nodded, not wanting to think about Ahsoka now. He would rather have taught the more advanced lightsaber forms but since he had refused to take on another padawan, he had to teach youngling combat, Anakin didn't mind. It was refreshing not being in the heat of battle. Even with the Sith Lord out there.

Anakin awoke to the feel of a warm body on top of him. "Padme," he murmured, sure that she had disobeyed his troops and snuck to see him. She put her hands on his sweaty chest. "Drinking last night," he whispered, "Sorry baby," he brought his hands up to steady her, and his head throbbed. He felt the wet kisses on his chest, felt her fingers on his mechno-arm and chuckled. He knew of the modifications he had had done to his arm, for her pleasure, although he hoped Obi-Wan didn't know. It wouldn't do for his master to see how the digits vibrated for her pleasure. He loved his wife very much. He felt deft fingers undoing the pants and his head swam, he had drunk too much. He moaned with pleasure as she touched him and reached out for her Force presence, and that's when he knew.

Anakin's eyes flew open as he watched Barriss stroke him. Padme was still on Naboo. Anakin's senses had been dull to the Force from last night's overindulgence but he had sensed his wife on Naboo. Anakin used the Force to throw her from him and pulling himself together he jumped out of bed, aware of the new presence of Sabe, Padme's handmaiden. Now he would have to explain to her, and he knew what it looked like. A surge of anger flew threw Anakin as he used the Force to pin her to the wall. He raised his hand and using the Force he wielded it over her, although a Force user herself, Anakin was more powerful. He used it to constrict her throat. "What were you doing?"

"I thought it was obvious," she said, and Anakin increased the pressure.

"Why?" he asked her, his eyes blazing like twin lightsabers within his face.

"Master," he heard and felt Ahsoka. "Please, let me deal with her." Anakin looked between Ahsoka and Barriss as he felt the presence of Obi-Wan stirring as well.

"Answer me, Answer me now."

"It was nothing personal, I was just following orders," she whispered and Anakin released his hold on her and bent down over her.

"Whose orders? Who wants to destroy my marriage? Do you have any idea what you could have done?" he asked her, his voice dangerously low. "I will not allow you to destroy my family."

"Your family is your weakness, that's why Jedi don't….or shouldn't have families. You have sent the Jedi to their doom. They are following the Dark Side," she smiled, her eyes glowing yellow. "Follow you down the path to the dark side."

"You LIE!" Anakin screamed. Obi-Wan laid a gentle hand on Anakin shoulder and Anakin felt the anger evaporate.

"Anakin, let's let the Council handle this. Place her under arrest," Obi-Wan said. Anakin nodded.

"On behalf of the Republic and of the Jedi Order, I, Anakin Skywalker, Jedi Knight, place you under arrest. Do you understand what I have said?" Barriss nodded weakly, smiling as she met Ahsoka's eyes.

"I'm sorry he's never responded to you, padawan," she said and Ahsoka jumped on her, slapping both her cheeks.

"I have never done anything but try to help you why do you hurt me," Ahsoka asked, pausing to look into her eyes.

"It's a lesson you must learn, Ahsoka, though I am sorry to be your teacher. You can't trust anyone. You can't trust him, my master will have him." Obi-Wan heard that.

"Ahsoka, see Sabe back to Padme's quarters will you?" he asked her.

"Yes, Master Obi-Wan," she said getting up off of Barriss. "We aren't done, not by a long shot, "she said before turning to Sabe. "Come along, Senator," she said, noting the dress, she went along with the ruse, pretending Sabe was Padme.

"Who is your master?" Obi-Wan asked and Barriss smiled.

"Darth Sidious of course. He has taught me many many things. I will be a mistress of the Sith. Of the Dark Order."

"The Dark Order?"Anakin asked, something about that seemed familiar.

"I have said too much…he will kill me when he finds out." Anakin frowned.

"Obi-Wan, I'm going to have words with Dooku I don't wish to be around this slime, send me apologies to the Council," he asked. Obi-Wan nodded and watched Anakin leave. Anakin went down to where Count Dooku was. "Hello Fives, Echo," Anakin said with a small smile. "How has the Count been?"

"Prisoner 2457 hasn't given us any trouble in days. He seems to talk about Count Dooku a lot. The Chancellor has been apprised of his situation and he seems most displeased that the Jedi will not allow him to be tried." Anakin nodded at Echo he figured as much.

"This is Jedi business," Anakin replied.

"As you say sir, but the Chancellor believes that since his crimes are against the Republic."

"They are but Master Dooku was once a Jedi making this an internal Jedi Order problem, the Jedi intend to find out just why Master Dooku turned on the Order and where the Order went wrong, and who this mysterious Sith is that could change a Jedi like Master Dooku who was a idealist into the leader of the CIS and a Sith, and you may inform the Chancellor if you would like, but I intend to find out personally, you have my word."

"Yes, General Skywalker, go on in."

"Master Dooku," Anakin began. "Do you know what happened, did you feel it?"

"You have much more restraint than I had suspected," Tyrone Dooku told him. "I felt it yes, but I wonder if the restraint is because of you or because of your friends. I wish I had had the friends that you do. You inspire loyalty, Skywalker."

Anakin smiled, his cockiness coming through. "I am the Chosen One."

"Hubris, a fine quality. Often possessed by those who perish from it."

"You know what your master had her do?" Anakin asked him.

"I felt his influence behind it yes, his presence is different than the presence of any other being. He can almost make his force abilities seem to disappear within the Force," Tyrone Dooku revealed. "He's been in power since you came to the Jedi." Anakin sighed and sat down, running his hands through his hair.

"What do you want Dooku? I had the yslammi removed, the Force suppressants minimized. I can't offer you anything else."

"And yet you come? I don't get many visitors, Skywalker. Although your Clones watch me."

"They haven't harmed you, have they?" Anakin asked, his head shooting up and his eyes on the Clones outside of the door.

"No, nothing like that, I wish I had tea. I used to like to drink it with Qui-Gon," Dooku said, with a small smile. Anakin frowned, it was such a small thing, to get tea, was this really all the Sith wanted?

"I will see it done. I hear the Chancellor has been to visit you?"

"Not exactly," Tyrone Dooku said. "He comes to look at me, and then he leaves, he is unworthy of his title."

"And who would be better? You?"

"Me, no. Perhaps Senator Amidala," Tyrone said. "You've seen it come to pass, only with her as Chancellor can peace be achieved. "I once thought it would take a Jedi to lead, but now I'm not so sure."

"Senator Amidala has had her name legally changed to Skywalker. She is my wife. But you know that already."

"You fear for her safety," Tyrone Dooku accurately guessed.

"You know what Barriss did?"

"Yes, Sidious accurately fears the two of you. You can bring this galaxy to a point of peace and prosperity to the likes it hasn't seen since the Sith split from the Jedi. You know your destiny."

"Yes, but it's not that simple, I don't know who the Sith Lord is that I need to defeat. I'm not a murderer, it's not the Jedi way to simple murder without a trial. What does my destiny even mean? You aren't the Sith you were when you were brought here," Anakin told him.

"No, I'm not. And I'm beginning to see things clearer, and see what it is Qui-Gon saw within you. You are his son." Anakin stared at him.

"You are mistaken, Master Dooku. I have no father."

"I don't mean that literally. Sidious's master Plegusis used the Force to create a being of perfection for the Sith but the Force cannot be manipulated. Qui-Gon was a maverick, and a pure soul. It used his genes to create you, to hide you from both the Sith and the Jedi until the time was right. You are the son of Qui-Gon Jinn, it's within your spirit, it's in your eyes, in your hair, your height, in the Jedi that you have become. I'm surprised when Qui-Gon tested your midiclorians that he didn't test your DNA." Anakin was stunned. He had always felt a connection to Qui-Gon from the first moment he had saw him, but he had assumed it was because he was a Jedi, was it more?

"Who is your master?" Anakin asked again.

"I will tell you in time, just not today." Anakin sighed, how was he to complete his destiny if Dooku would not release his identity.

"Where can I find him?"

"Closer than you might think." Anakin knew his mind was made up and it was useless, besides he needed to smooth things over with Ahsoka and Sabe and explain to Padme. It would not do for her to think the worse of him. He would never betray his love.

"I will see you are brought tea," he said and left, pausing to explain the request to Echo and Fives.


	47. Explanations

Explanations

The Chancellor of the Republic, Cos Palpatine, the secret Dark Lord of the Sith, Darth Sidious of the Dark Side, was having a harder time than usual keeping his mask in place, and his anger and hate hidden away. Nothing was going according to plan, he was somehow losing Skywalker to the light. How very disgusting? If only Skywalker's marriage could be undone, and in that Barriss Offee had failed him, tremendously. She was no Sith, and Sidious doubted she could ever be a Sith although there was a certain darkness about her that appealed to him. She wasn't skilled with the Force or combat however her healing abilities had been perverted, so that instead of the healing she had once given, she poisoned them, although appearing to heal their organs would deteriorate over time, it was the only reason he didn't dispose of her for her most recent failing.

He had seen what had happened and while he had been ecstatic at first at Skywalker's automatic application of the Force choke, something had been off. He had been angry, but the angry was so controlled. It was focused, and there wasn't any real hatred behind it just confusion, it was as if he had only done it to get answers from her, not out of any real desire to hurt her, and Sidious had never seen the Force choke employed in such a way. It wasn't as dark side as it should have been, and Sidious feared he was lost, blinded by the light side, a true Jedi.

As if that wasn't bad enough, there was his former apprentice, the Sith Tyrannus, the once Jedi Count of Serreno, Tyrone Dooku. He wasn't completely on either the Dark Side or the Light, and he hadn't given up his identity but still….and the reports that Skywalker kept seeking him out when before he would come to Sidious himself! He had been turned out, and now Skywalker favored his apprentice! What had he done to lose Skywalker's trust? Had he not been supportive of the unnessasary marriage when the Jedi had not, had he not pretended to support that useless padawan of his? He wasn't in a position to dispose of his grey apprentice, not yet. Although, he had put both Barriss and Maul on the task, he still lived. The more important matter had been in turning Skywalker and Maul wanted time to train his new apprentice, and there were still many who would need to be dealt with before he assumed his mantel of Emperor. Skywalker was the only being that could stop him and the future kept shifting, most of them having Skywalker destroy him. He could not die, not at Skywalker's hand. There had to be a way to get Skywalker and his meddlesome wife out of the way.

Wrath had to come through for him, he just had to. He would soon need to chose an apprentice. Maul or Malice who would destroy the others, all but Barriss for she was proving to be useful to him. The only problem were Skywalker's troops who although not immune to a Force trick were able to alert Skywalker as had been proven by Ventress. Skywalker was growing more powerful and it was a shame to lose him as an apprentice, although sacrifices would have to be made to preserve his Empire.

He contacted his many servants, making sure his hood was in place to preserve his identity, he watched his servants, feeding on the greed inherent in their nature. "Skywalker must be dealt with, I remove all restraints upon his person. Use whatever means nessasary, dead or alive, it makes no difference to me, I want him out of the way," he intoned. "The reward will be more than you can possible imagine," he whispered with quiet authority. After that, he linked his mind with Barriss's ordering her away from Coruscent and Skywalker, she would not survive a direct battle with the Jedi's Chosen One, he had no choice but to protect her. The final piece of the puzzle was coming into play.

At that moment, Master Plo looked up to see Obi-Wan Kenobi bringing in Barriss Offee. He had been pouring over the prophecy trying to figure out if Chancellor Palpatine fit as the Dark One, making many cross references to Jedi Lore. "What is the meaning of this?" he asked, seeing a Clone Trooper on either side of her and several of the Jedi Guards.

"I awoke to find my padawan having words with Padawan Offee, she was trying to seduce him, to break up his marriage."

"He is the one following the Dark Path, he used a Force choke on me," she cried out.

Master Plo looked up. "Is this true, Master Obi-Wan?"

"Why don't we get the padawan into custody and I'll discuss it with you," Obi-Wan said in an amiable tone. Master Plo nodded.

"Please take Padawan Offee to the cells, I'm sure Master Dooku would like the company. Put her beside him where they can talk but have them guarded."

"I will never betray my master like that scum," Barriss spit out as she was led away, fighting and screaming about how the Jedi were following the Dark Side, how they were never meant to form attachments. Obi-Wan shook his head sadly.

"She was a talented healer," he said sadly, "It is such a shame to lose one so gifted to the Dark Side."

"I can only hope she can be saved, although her loyalty to the Sith is frightening, one would have to wonder how someone so evil, so twisted, can inspire such loyalty, how he can twist so many Jedi to his cause."

"It is rather troubling, is it not? How easily a Jedi seems to fall, but these are troubled times," Obi-Wan said, with a sigh.

"Now tell me, Master Obi-Wan…"

"When is Jedi Knight Skywalker," Master Kota interrupted. He was the only other Jedi in the room.

"Anakin is visiting Master Dooku in his cell. This mornings events greatly troubled him," Obi-Wan explained.

"It is curious that he had chosen to spend time with Master Dooku rather than the Chancellor is it not?" Master Kota said with a smile. He had been healed, his blindness disappeared, and he looked straight at the younger man, with a small smile.

"It is to our good fortune," Master Plo replied. "I don't believe that Master Dooku is as dangerous toward Knight Skywalker as the Chancellor."

"I only wish I had known sooner, that I had done more to keep Anakin from the Chancllor, perhaps if I hadn't been so selfish, so lost in mourning Master Qui-Gon I could have done something to help Anakin, I know that he missed his mother terribly. I have made mistakes with him, but I have done my best to correct them."

"I have been contacted by Master Yoda, he says that Skywalker's future is no longer clouded by rings brighter than the brightest beacon, what this means he would not say," Master Plo added.

"This use of the Force choke?" Master Kota asked.

"Oh yes, Anakin was angry, there is no doubt, but it wasn't filled with hate, but with confusion, it was focused, as if he acted first without thought but to throw her off of him. She was performing sexual intimacies on my padawan," Obi-Wan explained, "I believe it was the shock more than anything. I've never seen anything like it. And he released her, merely using the Force Choke as another tool of the Force, not to extract revenge but as a way to control himself, and he never lost control, it was the strangest thing I've ever seen. I have been held in a Force choke with both Ventress and Maul and the feelings were so different than what I got off of Anakin….I apologise Master Plo, but I'm really at a loss for words."

"There is no need to explain any further," Master Plo told him. "He is the Chosen One, he will become balance in the Force and if he has found a way to use a dark side element for the light I find no need to press any charges upon him. We will trust in your judgement, you know him best do you not?"

"You are the guardian," Master Kota told him, "I too trust in your judgement, we do not need to press any charges, as far as I see, there was no violation, he was attacked first and retaliated with minimal force and the rest of the council need not be informed. If you will excuse me I promised the Marek's I would visit their son, Galen, he seems to like having me around," the older Jedi said before disappearing.

"I cannot help but hope that Skywalker's continued visits will help Dooku see the light and reveal Sidious's identity to Skywalker, on that note, I have requested an audience with two Senators, I would request a meeting with Skywalker's wife but considering her condition it's best just to meet with Senator Mon Mothma and Viceroy Organo, we must see what kind of system will need to be in place before Skywalker takes power from the Chancellor."

"Is this treason?" Obi-Wan asked.

"No, Master Obi-Wan in these times our loyalty must be to the Republic."


	48. Chapter 48

_A/N Thank you to everyone who reviewed this story. I will take Ahsoka's fate into consideration. Yes, I like the thought of Qui-Gon being Anakin's father. Also, there is** MATURE CONTENT** in this chapter be warned.** Hints of rape in this chapter as well as some domination of Wrath over Satine**  
_

Games

Darth Wrath watched the carnage in his wake and smiled as his yellow eyes gleamed with the power of destruction. He was malice, he was destruction, and any of the fools that stood in his way would never stand a chance. First, this Temple. Then, Skywalker, and then the world. The Galaxy would cower at his fingertips, it would quake within the power of his grasp. Darth Wrath felt no pity for the Jedi that had fallen under his power, only the strong could survive. He would attack the remaining temples and finally, he would attack Coruscent sending the Jedi to their doom under his new master, they would become unstoppable, all the power in the Galaxy would be theirs to control. He returned to his flagship, which had been renamed _The Wrath of Maul _as a tribute to his new Sith name.

"It is done, my master," Darth Wrath said from his kneeling position. "The Jedi will never see it coming, not from one of their own. I will take down the remaining Temples in your name master."

"If you keep that up you will never achieve the element of surprise on Coruscent," Darth Maul told his apprentice. "You may rise," he said, recalling and reveling in the supine position of the former Jedi Master. The irony, of going from a Jedi Master to a Sith apprentice, although in Maul's opinion it was better to serve the Sith than rule the Jedi. "The former Sith Lord Tyrannus must be destroyed. Our master wishes to have the treacherous former Sith disposed of. Do not attack any more Jedi than necessary," Darth Maul told him. "Return me his lightsaber and you may go about your carnage, it is sure to bring the team of Skywalker and Kenobi out."

"And then we will have our revenge."

"Of course, my apprentice," Darth Maul intoned, looking upon his apprentice more than a little fearful, Kenobi had done this to him, made him less powerful, and he would pay, and pay dearly. Darth Maul was meant to be master, and he feared that it was only a matter of time before he was replaced with his apprentice. He had to pass on the knowledge of the Sith before that time, so even if he didn't survive, his knowledge would. There were things he knew about the Dark Side that even Sidious didn't.

He took a look at his prisoner, she was pretty in a beat-up sort of way, since there were still bruises evident on her face. She gasped when she saw him.

"Master Windu?"

"I afraid you are mistaken."

"But you are a Jedi," she argued.

"Not anymore. I am a Sith."

"But you are Master Windu?"

"Appearances are often deceptive," he intoned, and Satine didn't say anymore as all the hope that had filled her evaporated.

He was as corrupt as Maul as any of the other Jedi that had fallen during the Clone Wars. And even though she wasn't a Jedi, she felt something, some startling epiphany it was the reason she had neglected to choose a side during the war. The Clone Wars were never an epic struggle, they were a way of eliminating the Jedi, in cultivating the Sith, in destroying the Jedi. The Clone Wars were never an epic struggle, they were never intended to be. Just the opposite in fact. The Clone Wars have always been, in and of themselves, from their very inception, the revenge of the Sith. They were irresistible bait. They took place in remote locations, on planets that belonged, primarily, to "somebody else." They were fought by expendable proxies, and they were constructed as a win-win situation for the Sith, for the Galaxy however, they were lose-lose, so that no matter who won, the Sith would win and the galaxy would lose.

The Clone Wars was the perfect Jedi trap. By fighting at all, the Jedi lost. She could see that in the once Great Master Windu, he had lost, he had lost himself, and everything he once held dear, in his obsession for destroying Skywalker he had become a Sith. He was no better than Maul. With the Jedi Order, overextended and more and more Jedi dying on remote worlds every day, not to count the number of Jedi that had lost their way, that had turned on their very order, their way of life, they were spread thin throughout the galaxy, each Jedi alone, surrounded only by whatever clone troops he, she, or it commands. War itself poured darkness into the Galaxy, into the Force, deepening the cloud that limits Jedi perception for all but the Chosen One and the followers of the Dark Side.

Duchess Satine had to escape, she had to find Obi and tell him how to win. If only the Jedi had never arrived on Genosis, with that Clone Army. Satine sighed as she glared at her captor. "So you are now a Sith, and what was so great to change the once proud Jedi Master into a Sith underling," she asked, contempt in her voice, despite her nude state.

"You would do well not to provoke me, Wermo."

"I am Duchess Satine."

"You were Duchess Satine, now you are my slave. By lucky I don't sell you to Jabba the Hutt," Wrath said cruelly. "When I address you as Wermo you will answer me."

"I will not."

"Perhaps, you would find it more agreeable on a slave aution block," he asked. "Trust me, Wermo, you are better off serving me than the Galaxy, I could easily give you to the Gommorians, and see what they would do with you." Satine shivered at the image and moaned in pain as he place nipple clamps on her chest. He smiled cruelly. "Soon you will learn to enjoy the freedoms I give you, Wermo. I look forward to breaking you."

"You will never break me."

"Oh, my dear, we are going to have such fun," he said, clapping his hands together, with a smile on his face as he dressed her. With her hands bound and suspended from the ceiling of the starfighter she couldn't do much but talk, for her legs were shackled and chained around the ankles, making her helpless to him. The weight from her chest was painful, but soon the pain began to dull. He pulled a black low cut top on her over the nipple clamps, so that the buttons on it which were done up rubbed against her swollen chest. The shirt was only buttoned to cover up her nipples, exposing most of her breasts, the shirt ended right under her breasts exposing her abs to view. Luckily, this Sith dressed her in pants although the black pants were so tight she was thankful she was standing rather than sitting as they seemed to be a second skin on her body. He then placed her feet into thirteen centimenter heels, so that when she could walk, it would be ungainly. "Thank me for the clothes, Sleemo." Wrath told her.

Satine was shocked at the commanding tone of his voice. She looked at him dumbfounded as she saw a laser-whip in his hand. She felt fear crawl inside of her, making her heart pound, but she had never been one to give into fear before. She swallowed over the lump in her throat, and spoke with a clear, strong voice. "I am the Duchess of Mandalore, I will not thank you for this sorry excuse for clothing." She was rewarded with the sharp sting of the whip against her back.

"Thank me or I will see you paraded around in nothing at all." The Duchess sighed, she didn't do submissive behavior, but she didn't wish to follow around this new Sith in the nude. She saw the small vibroblade he held at her throat.

"Do it," she told him. He smiled at her and instead of ending her life he made two insisions at the swell of her breasts where blood dripped down, trailing down her body. It was painful and Satine bit her tongue to keep from crying out. The Dark Lord bent down and licked at the blood that the open wound had exposed. She recoiled from the touch of the Dark Lord as he laughed, heady with the power of her fear.

"You are mine, now we will repeat this until you thank me." Satine sighed, what was the use in being stubborn.

"Thank you," she said in a tight voice, as his lips sucked the blood from the wound. He was a sadist of the worst kind she thought.

"You will address me as Master," he said, stopping his ministrations long enough to give her orders. "Now what was that, Sleemo?"

"Master, thank you for the clothes," she said, through clenched teeth. He nodded, seemingly appeased.

"We are making a stop on Tattooine to make you a proper slave, Sleemo, then we will head to Coruscent, Darth Tyrannus needs to be dealt with."

Satine's spirits dropped and then raised, if she could survive Tattooine, she could find Obi-Wan, she could be saved, she just had to survive Tattooine, she thought. She wondered what horrors could possible await her there and if she would have the strength to with stand them.


	49. Disagreements and Arguments

Disagreements and Arguments

Anakin Skywalker 'Tan' 'Hero with No Fear' 'The Chosen One' went to Padme's apartment building. He took the glove off his human hand and placed his thumb to the keypad, as the door 'swished' open filling Anakin with cool air. He looked around, missing Three-poi's annoying presence. How he would always welcome him, and greet him asking if he needed anything. "Sabe, are you alright?" he asked, seeing her visibly shaken. He reached out and felt his padawan getting her some water. Ahsoka passed the glass wordlessly to Sabe, who didn't speak but mouthed a thank you. Seeing what Barriss had done to him had shaken her more than he could have imagined.

Anakin regretted going to visit Master Dooku rather than seeking out Padme's handmaiden. There was something about Dooku lately, something that was drawing Anakin to him, the man was not entirely in the dark or the light, and he intrigued Anakin. Then, there was the revelation about himself and Master Qui-Gon, he wasn't sure whether to believe him or not, if only he could speak to Qui-Gon just once then he would know for sure. Anakin turned his thoughts back to the handmaiden in front of him. She was shaken even as she sipped from the water. "Ahsoka, how have you been? It seems days since we have spoken at length," Anakin said, looking into her blue eyes. As he spoke he sent waves of calm toward Sabe. She was so different in the Force than his wife, though she had been mistaken for Padme on many occasions just not by him, not since he had learned she was Queen.

"I am fairing well enough, Anakin," Ahsoka said, before sighing. "Barriss's attack felt personal, it may have been an order, but it felt like a personal attack against me," she said, sitting beside Sabe. Anakin sat down and propped his long legs up, smiling a familiar cocky grin.

"So you don't think it was a personal attack against me. Master Dooku says his Sith Master was behind it," Anakin said, a frown creasing his face.

"No, she believes I have a crush on you, she said as much in Master Obi-Wan's room," Ahsoka added. "What will the Jedi do with her?"

"I am sure she will be locked away as Master Dooku is. Remember Ahsoka, a Jedi does not attack an unarmed prisoner, he or she uses minimal force, it just seems in this war, it's not what it used to be. Dooku is not a Sith anymore. Much of the Darkness I sensed before has disappeared. Remember, Ahsoka, he was once a great Jedi."

"Then what went wrong?"

"Master Qui-Gon died at the hands of Darth Maul, and I was discovered, he thought he could end the Sith's rule, I was still a boy then, he thought to spare me my destiny, but the Force has other plans, indeed."

"If he intended to defeat them, Master, how did he become one?"

"That is a very good question, one that I fear we will not have the answer to until he reveals his master," Anakin said, before turning to Sabe, who seemed much calmer now.

"The same Count Dooku that tried to have milady assassinated, how can you support someone like that Master Skywalker?" she asked. Anakin frowned, flexing and unflexing his hand as he cocked an eyebrow at her.

"He didn't succeed, and he's not gone after her in quite awhile. Master Dooku was once a Jedi, and we stand behind our own. I will not see a Jedi abandoned to the Dark Side. What if it had been me who fell to the Dark Side?"

"You, Master? You could never fall to the Dark Side?"

"What I have learned is that everyone has a Dark Side, there are things I have done that no Jedi would do," Anakin said, standing and turning toward the window. "I wasn't the Jedi I should have been, but I'm getting there," he said with a smile putting thoughts of the Tuskans out of his mind. "In the right circumstances there is no doubt into how far a Jedi can go, Jedi do brush the Dark Side on occasion, and it's just a matter of what can bring them back…." Anakin said, looking serious.

"Master…"

"Many Jedi are lost, I don't believe as Master Yoda believes that they are lost in the darkness forever, I believe they can climb out of the abyss…they can find their way back to the light."

"I wouldn't have abandoned you to the Darkness, Master," Ahsoka told him. Anakin pulled her into a hug.

"I know, Snips," he said, with a smile, and then he turned to Sabe. "Sabe, I'm sorry you had to see me use the Force," he told her, his voice calm, cajoling. "I would never hurt Padme," he told her.

"Is this a Jedi mind trick?" she asked him.

"I have never tricked you or Padme," he swore to her. "I am a Jedi Knight, a member of the Jedi Order of the Republic; I would not use the Force against a civilian, especially one of Padme's handmaidens. I respect you, and I trust you to look after my wife when I cannot."

"What happened?" she asked, her voice still clearly distressed.

"Obi-Wan and I went out drinking last night to celebrate. Sometime today Barriss snuck into Master Obi-Wan's room, I thought she was Padme for a moment, when I realized she wasn't, my only thought was to get her off of me, yes, I used the Force against her, if that's what has you concerned, but only to get answers. I would never betray Padme, she is my reason for being, and do you think I would betray the mother of my children? Believe me," he told her, his blue eyes pleading.

"I'm sorry Master Skywalker; I don't know what to believe. I have already told Senator Amidala."

"You have done what you felt is right," Anakin said with a long sigh. "I will contact Padme immediately. You have no reason to fear me but I must ask why you are here? Why aren't you on Naboo with Padme?"

Sabe bit her lip and nodded. "Sabe, spoke with Viceroy Organo, and he explained why it was dangerous for her to be here, so she sent me instead to pose as her, to help ease the public's fears of a Jedi being married to a Senator, to speak to the Chancellor, to try and preserve democracy," Sabe explained, and Anakin laughed, it didn't matter where she was, Padme would always serve the people. Sabe excused herself, and Anakin looked at Snips, they exchanged a look and Ahsoka followed her, taking care of the handmaiden as she would Padme. Anakin went to their bedroom and contacted his wife via holocron.

"Three-pio for the last time, I am fine! I do not need to sit down!" she screamed at him, and Anakin became worried of his normally patient wife screaming at his droid.

"Three-pio means well," Anakin explained, "He's only trying to help, don't be so hard on him, my love." Padme looked back at him and despite herself she smiled at him.

"I know, Anakin, did you have to build him to be so.,..fussy?" she asked, trying to become mad at him, when he smiled at her like that, it made her heart flutter, and made her forget why she was angry.

"I built him to help my mother…besides I thought you liked Three-pio," Anakin said frowning slightly; it had been a devotion gift from him to her.

"I do," Padme replied, trying to smooth over the uneasiness she saw on his face. She put on her Senatorial mask, "I spoke with Sabe earlier today."

"Do I have to explain? I just got through explaining it to Sabe, and Master Dooku," Anakin added.

"And that's another thing, why are you supporting that poisonous traitor?"

"My love, Master Dooku was once a Jedi, this is a Jedi matter, it's not anything for you to concern yourself with, just know that he is no longer a Sith, and we cannot abandon our fallen Jedi to the Darkness. He is our link to the Sith Master, to fulfilling my destiny. If events had gone differently who is to say I wouldn't be as lost as he is?"

"Anakin, you are a good man, a good Jedi."

"You know that I touched the Dark Side," he reminded her. "Master Dooku was once Qui-Gon's master and you wish for me to turn against the man who trained him?" Anakin asked, raising an eyebrow at her in a gesture that was more of Obi-Wan than he would even know. "I cannot do that, Padme, don't ask that of me? Qui-Gon was my father," he whispered quietly, so quietly she almost didn't hear him.

"So this is why you are taking his side? For Qui-Gon?"

"Padme, I spared his life, we have become…well, not quite friends, but not enemies either."

"He took your arm, he started a war."

"Or Sidious did, Padme, I'm doing what I have to, I'm following my duty, but my duty will always be to my family first, to you, and to Luke, and Leia, he is not a threat, not locked up in the Jedi Temple."

"And Barriss is she not a threat either?"

"No, she's not. She doesn't have much skill with either combat or with the Force, I'm surprised the Sith would even want her. She was a good friend to my padawan before she turned. I wish there was a way to reach her, but I don't want her. I want you; I married you, my love, and my heart. Ask me for anything, and I will move planets to get it for you." Anakin's excitement over their love was contagious.

"Come home to me, leave Coruscent behind."

"I cannot leave the Jedi behind, it's part of who I am, would you leave the Senate behind?"

"It seems the choice has been taken from me," she said, put off.

"So this is what this is about? It's not about Master Dooku or Barriss; it's about you being secluded on Naboo. You sent Sabe wasn't that enough. I sent both her and Captain Typho to you, to alleviate your boredness; I want you to be happy, Padme. You have Jesse and Boil, you have your family, and you are still working in the Senate."

"You've been talking to Bail?"

"He sought me out Padme, worried for you after you ended your last transmission."

"Just because I'm a woman and don't have the Force doesn't mean I'm helpless Anakin Skywalker," she said.

"How are the twins?"

"They are growing every day, they miss you I think, and I miss you too."

"We won't be apart much longer, but I am needed here. Would you like for me to send Ahsoka to you? You've always enjoyed her company? What can I do?"

"Come home."

"I will be there within a fortnight. I love you," he said, disconnecting the transmission as a feeling of guilt settled upon his chest, he had abandoned his mother, was he now abandoning his wife and children? He wanted them to grow up in a peaceful galaxy and Dooku was the key to that. If Qui-Gon Jinn was his father, then he had mighty big shoes to fill, and he was intent on making him proud, after all Anakin was proud to call Qui-Gon his father, and even though he was one with the Force he would soon be a grandfather. Anakin smiled at the thought. Dooku and Obi-Wan were the closest people to his father and if he was to know him, he would need their help; his memories of the powerful Jedi that had made a difference in his life were so few. He would not allow that to happen with his children, he would be there for them. He would save them, no matter what it took, no matter whatever price he had to pay. Anakin decided not to go to the Temple tonight, Ahsoka and Sabe were already here, and he knew he and Obi-Wan would have to answer for their drunkardness in the morning. He settled in for the night, taking off his belt and boots, he placed his lightsaber on the side of the bed, where he could get to it if he needed to although he always had the Force, he doubted he would be attacked. He changed into a pair of black silk pajama pants Padme had gotten for him, and missed Padme's warm body next to his. He sighed and tossed and turned, not able to sleep as well in this big bed as with her.

Padme Amidala Naberrie Skywalker was having similar troubles sleeping. She could never sleep when she and Anakin were at odds with one another. She slipped from her bed and quietly awoke Captain Typho. "I'm going home to Coruscent, to Anakin, and your coming with me."

Captain Typho jumped up at the sound of his lady's voice. "Milady? But General Skywalker gave me stick orders to guard you."

"Well, I'm going to Coruscent, if you want to guard me, you'll just have to come along," she said, and he noticed that she had already packed a bag.

"What about the Clone Troopers?"

"What about them?"

"I have a bad feeling about this," he added as he followed Padme and Three-pio to the Nubian cruiser.


	50. Chapter 50

_A/N: Warning MATURE CONTENT; Anakin and Padme have sex, some bondage and blindfolds used._

Not an Easy Task

Anakin was deeply troubled after the fight with his wife, and sought council. In truth, Anakin and Padme's disagreements were few and far between since they had not spent much time around each other, but now that the secrets were removed from their lives, the love flowed much more freely as did the anger and the worry. There were still days and nights when Anakin wasn't sure that he deserved such a fate. To have the love of a woman such as Padme, to be the father of twin children strong within the Force. There were many things he had done during the course of the Clone Wars that gave him pause, those that were not the actions of a Jedi. He thought of the massacre of the Tuskan Raiders, and how he had interrogated the Separatists, how could he be the husband and father he was meant to be with such blood on his hands?

Anakin let the Force guide him, his feet following the will of the Force. It didn't surprise him when he ended up outside Master Dooku's cell, or that Master Dooku was awake waiting on him. Anakin looked at the Clones who had him sign in that he was visiting the captured Sith apprentice, which Anakin did. Luckily, he had clearance as a Jedi Knight and he sank into the cell wordlessly, taking a seat at the table as Master Dooku moved in front of him. There was a chill in the air, although Anakin didn't know where it came from. The two men sat in comfortable silence for several moments, contemplating one another. They were comfortable with one another and even after Padme's rebuttal on the Dooku situation, it didn't raise his defenses. "It is not an easy task," Anakin began "to take a life. Even with the plasma of a lightsaber, it is not easy to separate a man from his head."

"You speak from experience," Master Dooku asked. He felt it within the Force, it was soon coming, the revelation of Palpatine as Sidious, he could not hide the identity of the sith monster for much longer.

"Yes, I have given into the Dark Side's lure on several occasions, but I have always found my way back," Anakin spoke, in whispered tones.

"The Dark is generous, and it is patient. It is the dark that seeds cruelty into justice that drips contempt into compassion that poisons love with grains of doubt. The dark can be patient, because the slightest drop of rain will cause those seeds to sprout. The rain will come, and the seeds will sprout, for the dark side is the soil in which they grow and it is the clouds above them, and it waits behind the star that gives them light. The dark's patience is infinite. Eventually, even stars burn out. Each time you accept the darkness as you own, each time you give into it, it becomes harder and harder to claw your way out of the abyss and back into the light."

"Yes, I have sensed that," Anakin replied. "The first time I stumbled, Padme was there to catch me," Anakin admitted. "I was blind with rage, with grief, and I have no explanations of my actions, it almost seemed as if the hand wielding the lightsaber wasn't mine," Anakin spoke, his voice seeming to come from far off. "I was a monster," he whispered.

"Yet you came back from it," Master Dooku spoke, looking at the boy fondly. He could see why his padawan had been so enamored with the young man before him, even apart from his paternity of the young boy, and he could see why his master yearned to have Skywalker at his side. The fate of the galaxy truly rested on the young man in front of him, in a balance that was precarious at best, destructive at worse. "I fear only you can walk the line between the dark and the light, yet even you must remain cautious, Skywalker," Master Dooku continued, his voice urgent. "My master seeks to do you harm, if you do not join the Dark Side. And the dark side is generous, and it is patient, and it always wins. It always wins because it is everywhere. It is in the wood that burns in the hearth, and in the kettle on the fire, it is under your chair, and under your table, and under the sheets on your bed. It is in this very room, it is in the midday sun attached to the soles of your feet. The brightest light casts the darkest shadow."

"And is that what balance is about? Being the brightest light and the darkest shadow. Tell me who your master was. Perhaps, I can infiltrate the dark side, and bring the Sith to justice, defeat the Sith once and for all."

"You have no idea what dangers you would place yourself in. You would become an enemy to those that hold you in the highest regard. Your padawan, your master, the Council, you wife, and children, all would hold you as a traitor."

"And what will happen if I don't?"

"The end of the Republic, perhaps the end of the very galaxy itself. If Sidious were to suspect even for a moment that it was a trap. It's too risky, look at how I failed. You would have to use the dark side, and with the dark side comes the way of the Sith. Do you believe that rage, fear, and power will leave you unscathed?"

"There are many dark side users in the galaxy, and the only way to bring them to justice is to have them trust you. The sight of your face will spread descent, they will not trust you."

"Then I will need to keep my face hidden," Anakin spoke softly, barely believing what he was contemplating.

"How soon would you want to begin," Dooku asked. "I can teach you to conceal the light within you, how to keep my master from probing to deeply into your consciousness," Dooku spoke, and as he spoke he wondered if that wasn't his purpose in all this. To teach the Chosen One how to bring down Sidious. Anakin paused, he didn't know. He wanted to be there for his wife and children, and there was no way he could slaughter the Jedi, he wondered what might be asked upon him, before he could gather the evidence to expose the Dark Lord. Dooku had told him that it was the only way to get evidence, and Anakin knew Padme would never agree to this plan.

Was there no one he could confide in? It would even seem legit considering how much time Anakin had spent with the gray Jedi in front of him. He had learned that the Sith Master had more power than anyone in the universe and he was working on consolidating his power into a global Empire. If the Sith should see through him, all would be lost. It was the only way to save the galaxy. How long would this take? Anakin reached out to the Force and cut himself off from both Obi-Wan and Ahsoka. Lucky for him, Obi-Wan was off-planet searching for Duchess Satine, and Ahsoka was not at the Temple but with the Clones. He knew that if they reached into the Force they would feel the block he had put on them. It was regrettable but necessary. "I would like to see my children born," Anakin spoke with longing, with a father's love and pride.

"Wouldn't you rather they were born into a world that is not torn apart by the raging War?" Dooku was hitting him with a low blow, and yet Anakin nodded, he didn't wish his family to be torn apart by the war that had destroyed many of his Jedi brethren. Anakin was going to request a sabbatical so that he could train with this Sidious…long enough for him to take him down. "How far into the Dark Side are you willing to go? You do know this will destroy a piece of yourself, many who take this path do not return."

"But they are not the Chosen One, I am," Anakin replied, resolute in his decision. "I will do anything for my children, for my wife, and for the Jedi."

"Procure a pair of Sith contacts," Dooku ordered him, "If you do not reach far enough into the dark side then your eyes will not change, and that is a change Sidious will need to see." For the next hour, Anakin and Dooku spoke at length about the plan, a plan that Padme would have to be oblivious to, much to Anakin's regret. It was the only way to save Padme and the children from his grasp. Dooku had told him of the plan to have either Anakin or his children, and Anakin would sacrifice everything for his family. Dooku taught Anakin to hide his true feelings and to project anger into the Force, although the Dark Side would feed off of it, it would be enough to disguise his true feelings.

When Anakin left, he worried, but he knew he was following the will of the Force and hoped everyone would understand. He procured both the contacts and a strange looking mask to hide his identity; it would be interesting playing a double-agent. Anakin sent Echo to carry out Dooku's orders in which he had sent a message to Palpatine, gloating about how he had the Chosen One right where he wanted him.

Anakin returned to his room to find his wife lying within. He checked him communicator to find a message from Jesse about how Padme had left, and he chuckled lightly. He sat on the side of the bed, she had never come to him in the Temple before, and he reached for his stomach, taking note of the fluttering of her flesh, of his children within. The twins responded to the brightness of his presence and reached out with worry and love befalling him. They already had a bond within the Force, one that he would have to hide in the following weeks to come, if he wanted them safe. He would not let Sidious get his hands on his children. He knew that his mission wasn't much different than when Obi-Wan had faked his death, and took heart that Obi-Wan would indeed understand when the time came. Anakin planted kisses on the face of his wife, as he lay down and pulled her to him, feeling her warmth, her heat, and her love radiate within her body. He kissed her lips, pulling her to him, and felt her respond as she awoke. She pulled away to look into his eyes.

"You aren't angry?" she asked, looking into his blue eyes.

"I am, very much so," he whispered as his kisses trailed down her neck and she felt the stirrings within her awaken, she felt herself become pliant to her husband's touch. It was something she had become accustomed to, something she yearned for, as she sat up pushing her body closer to that of her husband's. There was something off about him, this time though. Yet, she responded as she helped him out of his outer Jedi robes, and pulled off his under tunic.

Finally, she was able to touch his muscular chest, tweaking his man-nipples that had become hard as they had been turned on by her presence, she knew her husband well, knew how to delight and please him. Anakin half-laughed, half-moaned at her impatience, as he helped her out of her own nightgown, this creation was one of black, and so they had worn the same color, although hers was one of lace and silk. Anakin bent to her chest, unbuttoning the buttons with his teeth as he licked, nipped, and sucked the exposed skin. He could have easily used the Force for this task, but preferred the feel of her skin under his skillful mouth, even as he used the Force to send waves of pleasure her way and to attune himself to her, and her feelings.

"Ani-Anakin please," she half-whispered, half-moaned, as he blew on her stomach at the navel. He reached into the Force and felt the twins, and certain that they were sleeping, he continued, pulling the garment away from her body. She sank onto her knees as she helped her husband from his pants as they landed in a puddle on the floor beside her discarded nightgown. The moon moved from behind the curtains, showing her how his golden arm gleamed. She could see his sacrifice and how it glowed in the moonlight, the sacrifice of her husband, the beauty that this man was her lover, her husband. She moaned as he tugged at the waistband of her silken panties, riding it between her bodies as his eyes glowed in devilishly, before he pulled them away from her body and put them in the pocket of his pants before using the Force to grab his robe, using it as a silken scarf as he tied her hands above her head.

"You buck too much, my love," he said and she didn't respond caught up in the way the Force glided around her body, moving her in a teasing torment. "You think too much, since you defied all my attempts to protect you, you must submit to me," he said before nibbling on her lips. Padme wondered what that meant and knew he didn't mean to harm her. Padme smiled as she met the challenge she saw in her husband's eyes. She moaned as he rubbed his hand down her body, with light, feathery touches, before his lips followed its path, leaving Padme wanting more, he pulled her legs apart, gently, as he kissed his way up and down her body tickling and teasing her. "Ani," she moaned, displaying her frustration by yanking on the bondage that held her in place. Anakin's eyes burned with passion, even as the smile on his lips twitched, as his intentions became clear. He parted her lips and stuck his tongue defly beneath them, his tongue swirling on her most private of places, as his hand mechanical hand came up to hold her hip into places, as she moaned and strained against the restraints.

She nevertheless bucked as an orgasm crashed against her, for not only was Anakin talented with his tongue, he had used the Force to tweak the rest of her body. Anakin smiled as his lips met hers, allowing her to feast on her own juices. Padme moaned at the thought, that was her that she tasted on her husband's tongue, and she moaned into his mouth as she tasted herself and her husband. Anakin still left her tied up as she moaned and tried to reach for him. "What is it, Senator?" he asked her.

"Kriff you Anakin," she cursed him. Anakin chucked before lightly slapping her butt, he pulled himself up swinging himself out of his pants as he used the Force and let her out of her restraints, using the silky robe to tease her body before allowing it to drop. "My turn," she said, before the robe made its way into her hand.

"Be careful, Padme," he added, reaching out with the Force and feeling the strong presence of their children. He wouldn't for all the galaxy want their games to harm their children. He submitted to her whim, allowed her to tie him up, and was stunned when she retrieved her panties and tied them over his eyes. He chucked in response, as she let out her inner diva. He licked his lips in anticipation. The attraction, the sexual energy had not waned as their marriage continued but grown stronger, as had their love for one another. She bent over him and took him into her mouth, giving him fair play. She felt him stiffen, and moan as her tongue darted from the head to the shaft and back again, as she swirled it around the tip and felt him harden again if at all possible, as he nearly ripped through the robe that held him down.

She heard the tear of fabric as he reached out and pulled her to him, entering her with a savage moan as he began pumping away in a familiar action, and Padme responded, bouncing up and down, meeting him thrust for thrust as he breasts jiggled. Anakin was far less patient than she was. They had both been inexperienced when they had married and had learned and grew together.

An hour later, Anakin had moaned as Padme and he came together, as one being, their orgasms in sync as he curled an arm around her. "I'm sorry," he whispered, kissing the top of her head.

"Ani, you haven't harmed me just the opposite, you gave me the kind of homecoming that I yearned for," she replied.

"There are going to be things you may hear about me, that you must appear to believe, but know that my allegiance lies with you and our child." Padme sat up, the peace that had spread over her body, quickly evaporating.

"What are you planning?"

"There events already set in motion that cannot be changed. I am fulfilling my destiny. Trust in me, my love. Wait for me."

"Always, but Anakin why can I not be a part of it?"

"If anything were to happen to you or the twins, I would lose my mind, I need to know that you are safe. Please, listen to me."

"Or what?" she asked, with a small smile "You'll punish me again?" she asked, a double meaning in her voice.

"Padme, I didn't…did I hurt you?" he asked, using the Force to be sure she wasn't hurt.

"No, no, Ani, I am fine," she assured him. "I love you, please, don't do anything rash."

"Padme, I must join the Sith," he replied. "It's the only way."

"But they are evil, you are a good man," she argued, looking into his eyes, blue eyes that spoke of honor, or duty, or love, and of devotion. There was not even the hint of darkness in the man before her.

"I am not becoming a Sith," he told her. "But there are things you may hear, you are to know, they are of my plan…my plan to bring the Sith into the light, to take them down from the inside. Now, Padme, you must listen to me, you must do exactly as a say, if the Sith master were to suspect everything, or even anything, everything will come crashing down. I will have a Sith name, Padme, and you will know it when you hear it, you have to construct mind shields, I wasn't to even tell you, but I cannot bare that you and the children may believe the stories."

"Why do I feel like you are telling me goodbye? Ani- please allow me to come with you."

"I cannot, Padme, I would do anything for you and I cannot have the Sith to use you against me. You should go to my brother, and stay there away from the war."

"I could go back to Naboo…" Anakin kissed her lips tenderly, all passion non-evident in this kiss, it was a kiss of tenderness and love, not of desire and passion.

"It's too late for that. They will look for you there. This game has become considerable less dangerous. But in the end, the Seperatists and Republic will be one, and this war will cease, there will be justice, peace, and security."

"Ani, I'm so frightened."

"I'm scared too," Anakin replied, wrapping both of his arms around her, as they stayed like that, both of them awake, listening to the other breathe, to the others heart beat, as they took comfort in each other's presence.


	51. Death

Death and Servitude

Obi-Wan could feel her out there, Duchess Satine. She was in pain, and she was scared, and for a brief moment Obi-Wan wondered if this was how Anakin had felt when Padme had wandered into a war situation, but he shook off that thought quickly enough as he followed her presence through the Force first stopping on Dantooine and then Taris, he could feel her lingering Force presence but had known she was no longer there, and although no one there had mentioned seeing her, he knew there was something he was missing. Anakin had insisted on coming with him, and Obi-Wan had appreciated the offer, but this was something he felt he had to do on his own.

For a moment, Obi-Wan felt dizzy as if something in the Force had changed, as if a source he had been drawing power from had been blocked, cut off, but he didn't ponder it much, he would know when he returned to the Temple. The loss of life on Dantooine had saddened him, as he saw his fallen Jedi massacred, not by a blaster but by a lightsaber. It was a force-weilder, or General Grevious. Obi-Wan bent down beside his fallen comrades, and released his sorry into the Force. He made funeral pyres for them after recording it on his holoprojector and sent his comrades into the Force lighting their bodies on fire. It was with a great sense of maloncholy that he returned to his starfighter and sought out Satine's presence. The Sith were more powerful than ever, he only hoped he could assist Anakin in some way in destroying the Sith.

He felt for her presence and was shocked that it was on Anakin's homeworld. Obi-Wan hadn't been back since the kidnap of Rotta. He set a course for Tattooine and spoke briefly with the Jedi Council, asking them to relay a message to Anakin just in case. Anakin had always bailed him out, and he knew that he always would.

Satine followed behind Darth Wrath as he was now called wordlessly as the twin suns beat down upon her delicate flesh, and when she didn't walk fast enough he tugged the chain attached to her collar forcefully. It was hard for her to walk on the sand in such high heels yet she managed. She was perspiring profusely in this black outfit that she was forced to wear, and the skin-tight pants didn't help at all. "Wermo, you must keep up or I'll leave you here to expire in the heat."

"Leave me," she commanded and his eyes narrowed.

"Wermo, I don't like your tone."

"And I don't like being here. I want to go home," she moaned pitifully. Darth Wrath laughed cruelly, the sound hollow and dark, as he pulled her to him and kissed her savagely, she tried to struggled against the kiss but he was so dominating, every which way she moved her head he was there, controlling and demanding, he bit the inside of her mouth and she whimpered as he pulled her closer, his hands traveling down her body as if he owned it, and she realized, he thought he did. Finally, he pulled away.

"You would do well not to insence my anger, Wermo," he whispered, his voice dark and dangerous. "And if I were you I wouldn't be so eager to return to Mandalore since the moment you do, you will sign it over to the Sith."

"Mandalore is neutral," she stated and he smiled, flashing white teeth.

"It was neutral, but now, since you belong to me, so does Mandalore." Satire gasped, the thought never occurring to her as he used the force and tugged on her nipple clamps, earning a groan of pain from her. "Soon you will learn to enjoy my touch," he whispered into her ear, as he pulled down her top, leaving her hands bound in front of her, and her feet bound at the ankles. She didn't know how she would ever manage escape. "Never forget that you belong to me soley, and soley for my pleasure, if I ever tire of you, you will not like the results," he said as he tugged on her nipple clamps elicting pain from her and making them more than just merely uncomfortable

. He lowered his face to one mound around the nipple clamps and nibbled, biting into the tender flesh. Satine moaned caught somewhere between pain and pleasure when he stopped looked into her eyes and smiled, pulling her top up. "Never forget that you belong to me," he whispered, pulling her chain so that as she walked their bodied brushed one another.

"Yes, Master," she whispered as tears filled her eyes. She loved Obi-Wan, and wondered if she was betraying him or not. The unexpected feeling that hovered between pleasure and pain shocked her. He placed one arm around her waist pulling her to him as the other arm held tightly to her chain. She looked up to see Jabba's palace looming over them.

"Speak, slave. Announce me," he told her. She swallowed hard as she looked up at the menacing eye that peered out at her.

"My master, Master Wrath requests an audience with the Mighty Jabba," she listened to the reply and looked to the once-Jedi.

"Training of a slave," he replied, and smiled as the door was opened. He walked in not at all worried about the blasters that were pointed at him as he pulled the chain of his slave and had her prostrating on all fours in front of the Hutt. He too, dropped to his knees and merely bowed. Jabba laughed enjoying the display.

"Mighty Jabba, I need your help," Darth Wrath said, looking at the Hutt. "I wish not only to train the slave I have with me, but to purchase more and to begin slave trade operations into the Core." Jabba turned to his translator and spoke in Huttese and Master Wrath waiting patiently.

"What about the Republic?" the droid asked, translating.

"Soon the Republic will not exist, there will be a Supreme Empire in its place ruled by my masters Sidious and Maul. We are looking into the lucrid trade that slavery will offer the Empire. There is much profit to be made, but if you do not want the Empire's business then I suppose the Empire could take its business somewhere else. We would strike a mighty fair bargain, Jabba, allowing the Hutts access to the entire Galaxy and the enslavery of anyone not agreeing with the Empire. For instance, monarchy, Jedi, Senators, politicians, diplomats, those that were previously untouchable…available," the Sith smiled at the seductive undertone in his voice and at the gasp from his slave.

Jabba smiled imagining having Jedi and diplomats as his slaves. It excited him, it had never been done before, going to a Core World and picking them off, one by one, and breaking them. He enjoyed breaking those that thought they were above slavery. He would have more pets than he could ever dreamed. He dreamed of having a politician serve him, or a Jedi whose powers did nothing to aid them in escaping his harem. He laughed as he remembered coming face to face with the Jedi that smelled like slave, he remembered that the Jedi had called him the most powerful Jedi of their Order and wondered if they knew he could smell slave on him. The smell was distinctive, in fact he smelled like a slave of the Hutts, Jabba couldn't explain how he knew that and so when he had attacted him it had angered him so much that even after Zira's explanations he had wanted to hold him, retain Hutt property as he saw it, but he had seen the way the Senator looked at the Jedi and something told him in time, in letting one slave go, he could aquire more, and now he saw his brilliance paying off.

"Agreed. I will train that slave for free," Jabba said in Basic. Master Wrath smiled as he pulled his slave to him and grasped at her assets before turning the chain over to Jabba. "Enjoy the pleasures that are offered here, Darth Wrath," Jabba told him, and Master Wrath smiled as he made his way to the bar, sampling the death sticks and ale offered within.

Duchess Satine was led to a woman named Melina Carniss who fitted Satine with a golden bra that she had dyed black she explained that her master wished to see her in black, although other than the color she must not stand out from Jabba's other girls. The girl helped her off with her shirt and pants and smiled when she saw the nipple clamps. "Will you take these off?" she asked, since Satine was still cuffed.

Melina laughed at Satine. "Wermo," she said, in a low, sultry voice, "if I take those off Jabba will insist that you have them pierced," she said, indicating her own top, in which she wore an outfit of silver that came high to her neck but the breasts were cut out, revealing diamond nipple rings, other than that the rest of the outfit covered her to her ankles, as she walked on ten centimeter heels. She was in charge of Jabba's girls and it was her task to make sure Satine was a successful slave. Satine shook her head, wondering if they would ever come off when Melina carefully grabbed the clamps and pulled them off, setting them to the side as she stared at Duchess Satine's body, accessing it. "You will make a wonderful slave for your master," Melina said, and gasped as Melina's hands came up to rub on the swollen nipples, Satine was sure she thought she was giving her a compliment but Satine didn't take it as such, however, Melina was being very kind to her.

"You poor thing," she said grabbing some salve and rubbing it along the engorged nipple. "Your body is still so soft, no wonder it's bruised so easily," she muttered, her tongue darting to the left and the right of her lips. "You are very lucky to come here before you are broken. Jabba refers to his harem as the House of Pleasure, you will find many pleasures within, and will learn how to pleasure your master, and he will be kind to you. He is handsome. You are very lucky," Melina said, and Satine was sure she meant it. Melina turned to another slave. "Oola, please bring me some lotion," she said, in a kind voice and Oola returned and handed the bottle to her as both Melina and Oola began messaging the lotion over her body. Melina led her to an overstuffed couch and laid her down and soon Satine exhausted had fallen asleep.


	52. Chapter 52

Good-bye….for now

Before Anakin Skywalker could begin his infiltration into the world of the Sith, the Force was pulling him toward an unknown goal. He wondered if this was what Qui-Gon had felt before discovering him. He had a vision of a man he didn't recognize and words that didn't make any sense to him.

"Know that I once held the galaxy by the throat. That I was once a hero of the Republic. That I was many things. A Savior. A Jedi. A Traitor. A Sith."

He didn't understand why the Force would wish for him to find a Sith, but it did. The more days that passed the more he saw this young man, hidden away behind a mask, and knew that somehow this man with hair so dark it was black, and yet he had eyes so blue they were startling, and his appearance seemed to change when he was using the light and the dark side. The man oddly enough, reminded him of himself. Anakin had told Master Dooku of this man and of the Force and he was giving leave before the start of his mission to find this man. Anakin sat down and opened his holoprojector and contacted his master.

"Master Obi-Wan, how goes the search? Do you wish for me to join you?" he asked. The reply was a brittle laugh.

"To what end, padawan? I am coming up with dead ends, though my next stop is Tattooine."

Anakin smiled at the thought, this was perfect. He would send Padme to join Obi-Wan. "Can you pass along a message to my brother, Owen Lars?" Anakin asked him. "I hate to impede your search but it is important."

"For my own brother, anything," Obi-Wan said with a laugh.

"Tell him we will be arriving on Tattooine shortly, before the birth of our children."

"You wish for your children to be born on Tattooine?" Obi-Wan asked, scratching his head.

"I wish for them to be away from the way," Anakin said.

"Ah, I will take the message as soon as I am able. May the Force be with you, Anakin."

"And with you, Master," Anakin said, disconnecting the transmission.

"Do you leave so soon, my love?" Padme asked, coming up behind him and putting her arms around him.

"You do, I meant what I said about you going to Tattooine."

"But Anakin, the Republic doesn't exist out there, as you well know."

"And neither do the Separatists, or the war. Jabba is law on Tattooine. I want to know you are safe from my enemies, and my brother will care for you, they are good people, Padme. You would be an easy target on Naboo, on Tattoine, there are few who would risk the wrath of the Hutts."

"Anakin, I'm scared," she whispered, coming to sit beside him, as she buried her face in his neck.

"So am I, love, but believe me, this is the best solution. As a General of the Republic forces, I know hostage situations, believe me it's safe for you there. Just try not to upset Jabba. Where's that famous Amidala courage?" Anakin teased. "Are you not the same woman who at fourteen," he pulled her into his lap, "went in disguise as a handmaiden to protect her planet from the Trade Federation," he asked as he sought her lips. "The same Queen of Naboo who took a chance on a slave boy from Tattooine," he kissed her again, his eyes teasing, "The same Queen of Naboo who marched bravely into her palace, not trusting the Jedi with her safety, and fighting herself," he nuzzled her neck, drawing giggles from her.

"Ani-kin," she gasped. "I never saw you as a slave."

"I know, my love," he murmured. "One of the days, if I ever do find him, I'm going to have to thank Nute Gunray," he said, with a soft sigh.

"For what!" she cried out, mentally listing his crimes in her head.

"Because," he said fondling her fondly, "If it hadn't been for him, we never would have met," he kissed her again, but knew he couldn't take things too far, the Force was beckoning him. Padme Amidala Skywalker shook her head at the logic of her husband, as Anakin continued. "If it hadn't been for him and the Trade Federation, you would have never landed on Naboo, wouldn't have needed me to get the parts for your ship, and we never would have met," he told her, nibbling her lips, deliciously. He pulled her off of him, as he used to the Force to put his boots on his feet. He smiled, Three-pio had them polished. The droid was too good to him sometimes. He reached down and began lacing them up, noting the polished sheen.

"Where are you going?" she asked, coming to stand in front of him, as he stood, grabbing his lightsaber and attaching it to his belt, he knelt in front of the twins. "Luke, Leia," he asked reaching out with the force to send them waves of love and tenderness, "I'll be back soon, do me a favor and don't come too early. Protect your mother for me," he said, kissing her round belly, before kissing his wife. With the speed of the Force he ran from the room, leaving Padme bewildered.

"I hate it when he does that," she said, with only the twins to hear her. She looked around and noticed Anakin's faithful droid, Artoo, was gone as well, much like his master. She settled in for the night, knowing that soon she would have to pack for Tattooine and wondered what she should carry. Anakin was in the hanger bay, he had procured an older Republic starship, going back to the days of the Old Sith Wars, of the Mandalorian Wars, _Ebon Hawk,_ she was called, and Anakin had a good feeling about her, and besides Anakin could fix anything. He fitted Artoo in, and had been surprised than an ancient droid resided within. Anakin knew it had been the will of the Force that brought him to this ship. He listened to the archaic droids speech; it was a different tone that Artoo's.

"Hello, Little Guy," Anakin addressed him, as he listened to the series of beeps and whistles that detonated speech in a droid. "It's nice to meet you Tee-Three. I'm Anakin Skywalker, and this is Artoo." Anakin listened to the questions. "Yes, I'm a Jedi Knight." Tee-Three beeped wanting to know what planet he was on. Anakin smiled, he had had to add a power cell before the droid was activated. "You are on Coruscent, home of the Jedi Temple." That reminded him. "Show Tee-Three around," he told Artoo, who beeped his dislike. "You are in charge while I'm gone," he replied, which perked Artoo up. He sprinted to his room at the Jedi Temple, he had almost forgotten. Where was it? Anakin smiled as he saw it, and added the power cell. PROXY was the first of its kind, Anakin had designed him as a gift to the Marek's young son, PROXY, he would be able to record every moment of the youth's life and store it for Jedi to come, and he was a holodroid able to project into anything in its memory banks. Anakin had uploaded many things from both the holonet and the Jedi Temple with permission from Master Kota, who had agreed, telling him it felt right for Galen to have such a gift.

"Hello, I am PROXY, and you are," Anakin watched as the droid shifted into a very good likeness of himself. "Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker, former apprentice to," the droid shifted again into Obi-Wan, "Jedi Master and Councilmember Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Jedi Master to," Proxy shifted into Ahsoka, "Padawan Ahsoka Tano," the droid shifted back into him. "It says here that you are married to Senator Padme Amidala now Skywalker," Anakin smiled, " and that you entered the Jedi Order at the age of nine, my archives go on to tell of your exploits, how they call you the Hero With No Fear, the Tan Skywalker, the Fearless, the Chosen One, the Champion of the Light," Anakin laughed.

"That's enough PROXY; did you understand your orders?"

"Yes, sir, Master Skywalker! I am to assist with the training and protections of both Mareks and their son Galen, and I am to return to you if my mission is a failure," he said, a little sadly. "I am equipped with assassination protocol only as a means of protections."

"Come along, Proxy," Anakin said, and the droid followed along as he arrived at the small apartment the Galen's had. Anakin paused outside their door, waiting for them to sense him within the Force, after several moments, he announced himself. "Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker," he said and watched as the door slid open with a swish.

"Congratulations, Knight Skywalker," Mallie said to him, with a shy smile. "I heard about your upcoming paternity," she said softly. Anakin took a seat and motioned for Proxy to follow his lead.

"Yes, Padme…Senator Amidala Skywalker and I are expecting twins, a girl and a boy," Anakin confirmed. He heard the squealing of an infant, and looked up as Kento brought the young Galen into the room.

"I'd offer you a hand, but mine are full," said the young Knight. Anakin smiled, his eyes twinkling as he took in the patch of dark hair on the infants head and the way he drooled as his father made funny faces.

"It's no problem. I'm going to be off planet for a while, and I brought a gift for your son."

"A gift you say?" Mallie questioned.

"This droid, I built him myself, to serve your family, and to protect it. This is Proxy," Anakin said.

"We couldn't accept this, Knight Skywalker," Kento said, as he settled the baby down in the crook of his arm. Anakin couldn't help himself.

"May I?" he asked, holding out his arms. He listened as Mallie told him how to hold the baby, supporting his head.

"Hello there, little Jedi."

"Marek," Kento told him, "Our son's name is Galen Marek," he said with unmistakable pride. Anakin couldn't help but be touched by the innocence of the young child. After a moment, he passed the child back to his father.

"May the Force always be with you," Anakin choked. "Please, it's the least I can do."

"Alright, we'll accept, on the condition that you bring your children by when they are born," she said, with a gentle smile. "I would very much like to meet the wife and children of the Chosen One," she said, and Anakin scowled, he didn't like being reminded of his destiny, of how the weight of the world was on his shoulders. "You know I'm right," she said to Kento.

"You always are, my love," he replied, as he kissed Galen's head.

"I'm sorry to have intruded," Anakin said, "I really must be going."

"Knight Skywalker," he heard and turned. "You are welcome in our home anytime," he leaned in and whispered, "Especially when the Senator puts you on the couch," Anakin smiled; there was a real kinship between them; not as Jedi but as husbands.

"The offer goes both ways," Anakin replied, "Now I really must go," he replied. Anakin smiled, thinking of how neither Mallie nor Kento were very strong in the Force and yet there son was very potent with Force adeptness. Anakin returned to his starship and set the coordinates for Mustafar wondering what he would find there.


	53. Solo Mission

Solo Mission

Anakin arrived back at the _Ebon Hawk_ to see Ahsoka leaning casually against the hulk with a grin on her face. "So where are we going?" she asked, as she held Artoo and Tee-Three apart. They seemed to be in a droid war, Anakin thought with a grim grin, there was no way he could carry both of them with him without them driving him completely mad.

"We aren't going anywhere," he told her as he noticed his men holding their helmets in their hand. Tup, Kix, Rex, and the returned Jesse were all there, a strange light in their eyes as they looked at Ahsoka. "I am. This is a personal mission, Ahsoka."

"But Master, I'm the protector, you will need me."

"I don't doubt it, but I have something more important for you to do."

"It's not guarding your wife, is it? That's overkill for a Jedi," she complained with a frown.

"Partly, and I need you to do what you can to restore Tee-Three's memory and give him some…special modifications," Anakin added, as he watched a smile break across her face. Yes, she was very mechanically inclined. It would be a challenge to work on a droid so old.

"I would say he's Old Republic era, maybe even part of the Mandalorian Wars," she said with excitement. "What do you think Tup? Interested in learning more about the Mandalorians?" she teased. "I could sure use your help," she said, lacing her arms through Tup's as she shot a look at Captain Rex, who glowered while trying to maintain his military indifference, however Anakin could feel the annoyance roll off of him in waves. Anakin wondered about it but didn't comment as he had other things on his mind. "I need you to make sure my wife makes it to Tattooine by the end of the week," Anakin told her. "This war is about to get a lot more complicated, and I need to know that my wife and children are safe."

"I thought you didn't talk about your past," she snipped at him.

"Ahsoka, please," Anakin implored her, "I need someone I can trust," he added, meeting her blue eyes with his own. Suddenly, she smiled.

"You can count on me, Master."

"I know," he said as he tugged playfully on her padawan braid. "May the Force be with you, Snips," he said, as he inclined his head, in the familiar Jedi greeting.

"And with you, Master. Be safe!" she added.

"Don't worry about me, I have the Force as my ally," he called as he entered the _Ebon Hawk_.

"Come along, Tee-Three," she said, as she led the men down to the hanger so she could work on the droid.

Anakin entered the coordinates for Mustafar; it was the place he kept seeing in his dreams. The lava planet could be no other. Anakin entered the coordinates and spoke to Artoo. Artoo told him that Tee-Three had spoken of a Sith Empire that had come to pass, of an Emperor, and of the Jedi. He had told him of a Star Forge, which Artoo had never heard of.

"A Star Forge?" Anakin questioned, "What was that?" he pondered.

"Said it was made by a group of beings called the Builders," Artoo replied, in a series of beeps and whistles. "Also said he remembered a Jedi that had married, although it didn't cause them to change their code." Anakin nodded, as he mentally translated the beeps and whistles. "His mission has been to assist the Jedi, it was what led him to us," he amended.

"What was he doing on this starship?" Anakin asked, Artoo.

"He wasn't and then he was," Artoo beeped and whistled. Anakin watched as they entered hyperspace at lightspeed before turning to his droid.

"What do you mean, Artoo?" Anakin asked.

"I mean, Anakin that I did an initial sweep of this starship before we bought it, and he wasn't here. Then when you went in, he was. The facts don't add up, but he doesn't know either, or at least the details aren't in his memory banks, the last thing he remembered was being with the Jedi Revan and receiving the assignment to help the Jedi."

"Curious," Anakin added, perplexed. He knew the Force was drawing him to Mustafar, although the purpose eluded him, he knew this had to be a solo mission, he didn't know what he would find here, but he knew it had something to do with him, and him alone, Ahsoka had to protect his family, make sure they arrived on Tattooine, and his mission was on Mustafar, something was drawing him there. Anakin heated up a military issued meal, and ate the tasteless nutrients without thinking; he knew he would need his strength.

Anakin went to change adding parts of his Jedi General Armor and removing some of his Jedi tunics, he had to be prepared, and they offered extra protection. Sometimes Anakin wondered whether he was a Jedi or a General, though most days he felt like both. Anakin reached out for the Force presences of his children, and felt the light beckoning him, enveloping him in pure love and understanding, and it took his breathe away, he had never to his memory been bathed in such pure light and radiance in the Force.

He sent back waves of love and protection toward them as he felt their individual presences, as he felt the calm from his son and the fiery passion of his princess. They were everything good in the world, and the wonder of it all, that they had come from him. If they were so good and pure, and they had come from him, did that make Anakin Skywalker good? Anakin ran his hand through his wet hair, an amused smile on his face as he thought of how Padme would scold him for dripping water all over the floor. A chuckle escaped his lips, as Artoo came up beeping and whistling his disapproval.

Anakin looked up as Artoo beeped that they were coming out of lightspeed. Anakin took his seat again at the controls as he looked for a landing pad. "That'll work," he said, seeing the tops of some buildings. It was hard to believe that anything was habitual on this planet, yet there was life here. Anakin stepped out of the cruiser with Artoo at his heels, he deftly, using the Force jumped down and began walking along the bridge way, Artoo hovering until he touched down, wheeling behind him. Anakin didn't know where he was going, but he let the Force be his guide. Anakin propelled himself with the Force, then ducked and hid, luckily Artoo was quiet as well as he listened. He was in the middle of a Separatists base, how had that happened.

"What did Lord Sidious say we were looking for?"

"He didn't," another one said, "Just that we would know it when we saw it."

"I'm getting tired of this Sith Lord, with his orders," Pogger the Greater added.

"Has he not pulled the strings, and gotten us out of Republic hands many times," Pogger the Lesser said.

"But he promised by the end of the war, the Senator from Naboo would be dead," Nute Gunray added, whining.

"The war isn't over, you moran," a Sep that Anakin didn't recognize said. There was no way Anakin and Artoo could take the Sep's out by themselves. Anakin activated his homing beacon, sending out a distress signal to the Jedi Temple. "She will die," Anakin heard, and he clenched his teeth, and his fist before taking a deep breath and releasing it into the Force, it wouldn't do Padme or anyone else any good for Anakin to march in there with his lightsaber ignited and try to take them out, even with all his Jedi powers he would only get himself captured. There were hundreds of droids surrounding him, and he may have been one of the most powerful Jedi of the order, but even he couldn't take out all those droids, and they weren't all battle droids, some of them were droidekkas, some of them were super battle droids and some of them Anakin hadn't even seen yet, so couldn't identify.

He was just lucky they hadn't scanned for life forms; he knew his luck couldn't hold out though. Anakin turned around, and ran into pieces of a droid. But this wasn't a droid he recognized, there was something distinctly Force-like about this droid. Anakin put the pieces in his backpack, and sent Artoo back to the cruiser with the backpack. The droid was strange and red, but there was something about it radiating in the Force. Anakin turned and felt the feeling of being drawn to a carbonate slab and Anakin used the Force drawing it up as he followed its path to the starship. Once back in the ship he pushed a series of buttons that he recognized from when he had been carbon-froze on a recent mission. He took a serum from his pouch and injected it into the man's arm.

"Here this will help with the carbon sickness," Anakin spoke, as he settled the man down. "Don't worry, you can trust me, I'm a Jedi," Anakin replied as the man squinted at him. Anakin didn't know how long he had been frozen. Artoo beeped at him. "Set a course for Tattooine," Anakin instructed him. He knew the man would be tired, there was no help for that, as the man sunk against Anakin. Anakin took note of the black Jedi robe that hung limply over his shoulders. Anakin took in the man's pale skin, dark hair, and blue eyes. This was the man from his dreams. It wasn't the first time Anakin's dreams had come true. This man was important, and unless Anakin was wrong, this man was very strong in the Force, and connected in some way to Anakin, himself. Anakin helped the man with a cup of water, helping him get the drink to his face. Anakin wondered how long the man had been carbon froze. The man lifted his eyes to Anakin.

"Thank you, Master Jedi," he said, and Anakin wondered if he could see or not. "You are most kind. Are you the Chosen One?" he asked, and Anakin bristled as the man gave his hand a hard squeeze. "I have seen your future. I'm not too late. I may have failed my friends, but I will not fail the Chosen One, our destinies are much alike, and I have seen many conflicting futures, you are the pinnacle, whatever happens to you will be the fate of the Galaxy."


	54. Chapter 54

Ahsoka and the Troops

Ahsoka was working on Tee-Three, the little droid had a more intense security system than one would expect from such an old droid. "Hey Rex, Tup, I could use some help if you've got some time," Ahsoka said, with a smile as she noticed her men coming in.

"We were looking for you, sir," Rex said formal as always. Ahsoka noticed Jesse.

"Welcome back," she told him, flashing a smile and a wink. "Nothing like guard duty is there?"

"Senator Skywalker…I can see why she fell for the General, the two of them are like two peas in a pod," Jesse said.

"What do you mean?" asked Tup.

"Well," Jesse drawled as he handed the hyper spanner to Ahsoka, and noticed the way Captain Rex hung back just watching. "The Senator kept trying to let us think that Sabe was her, and if it wasn't for her carrying Skywalker's younglings, we may have been fooled. She even tried to make Sabe, her handmaiden, look pregnant," he told them. "So when she sent Sabe back, we had to make sure it wasn't the General's wife. And then she snuck off so Boil and I had to contact the General and let him know. I'm just glad he knew it wasn't our fault. Reminds me of some of the General's plans," Jesse said.

"Watch your tongue," Captain Rex said darkly, "The General has come through for us more times than I can count," he replied. "I won't have anyone speaking out against the General or Senator Skywalker," he said, and the men grew quiet.

"Lighten up, Rex," Ahsoka added as she went about adding boosters to the droid, much like the ones Artoo was equipped with. "Jesse is just entertaining us."

"Not at the General's expense," Captain Rex persisted, "I know my duty."

"How well I know," Ahsoka said, the smile leaving her face. "It doesn't matter what you feel, duty comes first, doesn't it, Captain?" she said, curtly, tossing down the rag, as she looked into his brown eyes, her blue ones enflamed with rage.

"At least I don't use other men to make someone jealous."

"Is that what you think? I can tell you apart you know."

"And do you know that we aren't just Clones, but men."

"Men that do their duty," she argued, before her foot stumbled on the hydro spanner and Rex reached out grabbing her waist to steady her, he went down, with her landing on top of him. She looked down at him, aware of a strange feeling swelling inside of her. She noticed through the Force that the other men had cleared out leaving her with her Captain.

"How do you feel about me, little one?" he whispered, in a husky voice, his eyes meeting hers as they traveled over her orange face with the white markings, down to the halter top she wore, taking in the swell of her breasts and the way her lekku swung down, the way the skirt slid around her thighs, and his breathe hitched as a wave of feeling surrounded the Captain. He could feel her thighs straddling him even through his armor.

"I don't know, Captain," she whispered huskily, "I know it's hard to remember words like attachment, when I feel so alive around you."

"It's the truth of battle, little one," he replied, raising her hand to his lips, as he kissed her fingers, noting the knicks on the knuckles from working on the droid. "Battle makes you feel alive, not a soldier," he said, trying to let her down easy, trying to ignore the fact that she too, made him feel more alive. He had never felt so alive before she had landed on Christophisis under his care; every battle seemed more alive, more important to him when she was there. He didn't say any of this, as he sat there, his back pressed against the hard tile, and on top of him General Skywalker's fourteen year old padawan. "We soldiers were bred for war, and we will do our duty," he whispered as he kissed each of her fingers before turning the palms up, placing his lips on her wrists where her pulse jumped. "We all have a duty to do, and until this war is over that is the way it will have to be."

"No matter what?"

"No matter what. I won't risk a mission," he replied, his eyes belying his words.

"I won't risk my men, but I will risk my heart, I'm still young and it's what separates us from the droids," she added. "I won't risk your life, but I don't know what I would do without you."

"Don't come upon me at the wrong moment," he replied, dropping her hand as he reached up and touched her face, feeling the softness of her Tortuga skin, as he curled his fingers around her chin. "Even I have my limits, don't push them, Commander."

"Would you follow my Orders, I do outrank you."

"I told you when we first met," he replied, in the same husky voice, "Experience outranks everything."

She flashed him a smile as she lowered her lips to his ear. "Then I better be getting some," she said as she turned her face meeting his lips and liquid heat shot through her, she shouldn't have been baiting him, baiting herself, but she never could back down from a challenge. She tightened her legs around him, feeling him crush her to him as his arms came up behind her head pulling her closer, crushing her there, and yet she didn't feel uncomfortable, she felt like she was right where she needed to be, with her Captain. He had always made her feel safe and now he was making her feel something else…something wonderful. She had been kissed once before by Lux, but it wasn't anything like feeling Rex, it wasn't just a kiss, it was a whole body involvement, even her toes tingled, her lekku felt all tingly and she couldn't ever remember feeling this way in her whole life, the Force seemed to urge her on as she pressed herself closer until she was breathing hard and fast, and she heard his breath coming out in gasps as he put her from him.

"I do have feeling for you, Ahsoka," he said her name, her name, not her nickname, not Commander, not Tano, not sir, but her given name and she felt herself melt, no one ever said her name like Rex. "But there is still a war going on and neither of us can afford any distractions," he said before leaving her stunned, standing there gawking. Ahsoka found herself looking down at Tee-Three as Tup, Jesse, Kix, and Echo found their way back inside.

"The Captain sure has been in a mood lately," Echo added.

"Well, he always has been serious," Tup added. "But lately he's been grouchier."

"I would almost think he was sick," Kix added, "And if you don't mind me saying so, you aren't looking so well yourself, sir," Kix told her. "If you want, I could check you over."

"No, that's alright, Kix," she told him, as she turned the droid back on. He beeped about the Mandalore. "Do you know what the Mandalore is?" she asked.

"It's an old legend by the Mandalorians, our host Jango Fett was one such person. It is said he came from Clan Ordo, from the Mandalorian Wars, which pitted the Mandalorians against the Jedi, it's funny that we are on the same side now," Jesse added.

"The Mandalorians considered themselves warriors, conquers if you will," Tup added. "Victory in battle was our justification, and it doesn't feel much different now. At least we are winning," Tup added with a smile. "The Mandalorians have always been warriors and now we are bred for war, it doesn't make much difference does it, Commander."

"And they keep breeding new Clones. Does it bother you that you don't have a mother or a father?"

"But we do," added Echo, "The War is our mother, and Jango was our template, good enough for a father, I suppose."

"Even though he was a Sep?"

"He was the template for Republic soldiers, but he was a bounty hunter, that doesn't make him a Sep," Tup added. "Our people know the glory of battle."

"Glory? Or Horror?" asked Kix, the medic.

Ahsoka noticed that Rex was back, having pulled himself together.

"Our people have a saying," Captain Rex said, "A warrior that doesn't hope for battle, has no hope during battle. I see we have been regaling Commander Tano with the ways of the Mandalorians, not many understand our ways, and we are and have always been a breed apart."

"I've been in many battles with you, give me some credit," Ahsoka said, her eyes blazing as she bore into the Captain who had once again reverted to Commander when speaking to her. She wondered if she was the only one shaken by that kiss.

"Win or lose," Captain Rex told her, "As long as the fight is worthy, honor is gained. The glory at having triumphed over impossible odds is what drives us. If there's nothing at stake – you're possessions, your life, your world – and then the battles meaningless. We Mandalore take everything we are and throw it into battle. It's the true test of yourself – the battle against death... against oblivion."

Ahsoka was seeing some insight into her Captain. "Men, let's pull ourselves together and get going. We leave in two standard hours to rendezvous with General Skywalker and High General Kenobi, let me just go get Senator Skywalker," she said leaving as she thought of their words. Two standard hours later she had Tee-Three as their astromech, and Three-pio had arrived as well as the 501st and Master Dooku who was given a mission to prove that he had turned his back on the dark side. Ahsoka could hardly wait to reunite with Obi-Wan and Anakin.


	55. Many Names

Many Names

Anakin peered closely at his companion who radiated both darkness and light within the Force, leaving Anakin to the conclusion that this man before him, this Force wielder, had served both the light and the darkness, yet Anakin sensed this man would bring him no harm. Anakin picked up the droid and began assembling him, as the man looked at the droid parts.

"That's mine, how did you come by him?" he asked.

"I found him, lying near your carbonate slab," Anakin replied. "I know a little something about carbon freezing, having been frozen myself," Anakin stated, remembering the mission with fondness.

"You have a natural affinity for mechanics as well as being a strategic military genius, as you know it could have been risky freezing yourself, but as you have already found out, without the risks there are no rewards," the man told him, as he began helping Anakin put the droid together.

"Just who are you?" Anakin asked him, peering at him closely, as he tried to use the Force to feel for an identity but came against a strong wall. There were very few that could block Anakin from their minds, but this man's shields were stronger than any Anakin had ever seen.

The man sighed, as he met Anakin's piercing eyes with his own. "I have gone by many names in my life," he said reflectively, "Revan. It's not my real name, but it will do," the man, Revan said to the Chosen One.

"Anakin Skywalker," Anakin said introducing himself, and holding his hand out for Revan to shake, who did so reluctantly.

"Without kin, walker of the skies," Revan said, as he translated his name. "You too, have been known by a great many names. And will be known by a great many more."

"You speak in riddles, for one seeming so young."

"Like you, I am older than my appearance suggests. I lived among the Jedi and created a Sith Order, I was a soldier and a Jedi, and I sought to rid the galaxy of evil and became evil."

"What are you?" Anakin asked him.

"A great many things, young Anakin, a great many things. I can sense things about the Force; power that you don't even realize is there. I was once a Jedi, once a General, a leader, a traitor, a Sith, my apprentice once told me before I took his life, that I was a great many things. Savior, he called me, villain, hero, conquer. He told me, that I was all these things, and yet nothing, that forever I was to stand alone, I believe the same may be true for you as well, Anakin," Revan told the younger man.

"I am not a villain," Anakin said in a heavy voice. "I may have done questionable things, but I am still a Jedi."

"Yes, I do believe you are, how intriguing. If you have done things against the Jedi Order, then you may have an inkling to where true power lies. Honor is wasted on the dead, Chosen One, what honor is there in death? The dead cannot use it."

"It is to remind us of our cause, to remember our friends and even our enemies after death," Anakin replied. "To remember what they stood for, what they fought for, what they died for, so that they did not die in vain."

Revan's voice was a soft whisper, "Oh but Anakin they did. They died so that you might feel the anger, the hate, the bloodlust, in a single mission of the strongest of the Sith of this time to turn you to their cause."

"Master Dooku has spoken of this," Anakin said, his eyes downcast.

"But he hasn't revealed his identity, I could tell you. I can feel it," Revan told him, but his heart warmed for the youth, he knew Anakin to be a descendent of his, and could feel many things in the Force including Anakin's unborn twins, and the Sith mastermind.

"Tell me," Anakin asked of him, as he added the power cell to the droid in front of him.

"It's almost ironic how many sentinents have missed it, considering a Sith's entire missive is power, and this person is at the highest form of government, he is your friend. The Supreme Chancellor of the Republic, your friend, Cos Palpatine, is the Sith Lord, Darth Sidious."

Anakin let out a deep breathe. "My trust in his has been shaken."

"Good, you must never blindly follow, not the Jedi, not the Sith. I will show you of the Star Forge and give you the power to destroy the Sith, and the Jedi if you so desire. It will be up to you to decide the fate of the Galaxy, choose wisely," Revan told him. "I once destroyed the Star Forge but over time it has been rebuilding itself. I am only here as a guide, as a mentor if you will, the galaxy is in your hands, as is the Star Forge to destroy or use it is up to you now."

"Why are you placing such power in my hands?"

"Because only you can harness it, can control it."

"There will be the power to destroy the Sith Lord, once and for all, to end this pointless war, besides you are of me, of my line, I can feel it, and you know I speak the truth, search your feelings. You are a decedent of my Bastilla."

Although Revan had spoken of the Dark, Revan was a gray Jedi, one that used both sides of the Force, one that believed that both the Light and the Dark served his purpose, and he wanted the Jedi to prevail, despite the Jedi that had turned to the Dark, either under him or under Sidious, and it was he who had made sure the Guardian and the Protector would be there for they were descendants of his own friends. Mission although a Twi'lik was an ancestor of Ahsoka, where somewhere down the line the Twi'lik line had mated with Tortuga's thinning out the Twi'lik ness of the line and the guardian had been under the line of Carth Onasi who had eventually produced the Force strong Obi-Wan Kenobi, and so he had influenced the destiny of both his time and this one, it was one of the reasons he had gone into carbon freezing and why he had sought the Chosen One out through the Force, unfortunately he was positive that the Sith Lord had felt him reaching out as well. It would do well for the Sith Lord to believe Anakin was his apprentice as the Sith only knew of his time as a Sith, not his return as a Jedi, and his conversation to a Gray Jedi, to stop the Sith Empire, and its Emperor, which had died out long ago. The Jedi stared in accomplishment as the droid roared to life.

"Exclamatory: Master, I am once again in your service, my lord, Darth Revan."

"Darth?" Anakin questioned, although he didn't ignite his lightsaber.

"There are many secrets in the galaxy."

"Statement: Great. Another meatbag to serve. Question: Can I kill anyone for you, Master?"

"Not right now, HK-47," Revan stated with a chuckle. "Anakin, you are the Chosen One, the one destined to bring Balance to the Force, you must allow both the light and the dark side to flow through you."

Revan wasn't telling Anakin anything he didn't already suspect. What else was balance, had he not wondered the same thing, than using all of the Force, both sides of the same coin? But how could he, how could anyone use the Dark Side without falling victim to its pull, to falling to the seduction of its power, would using the light side always pull him out, would it balance out his inner darkness?

"I know."

"Then I will teach you, only I can teach you for only I have walked in the dark, to be redeemed in the light, and to understand my own darkness, only I can teach you. Remember what you learned from the Jedi but be open to new experiences, and together we will help the Republic to thrive away from the influences of the Sith Master who sought you."

"I will learn what I must," Anakin replied, not swearing allegiance to anyone other than the Jedi as he had when he became a Knight. " I will do what I must."

"I know," Revan said as they shook hands. "When do we arrive on Tattooine?"

"Within a fortnight, two standard days, two standard rotations," Anakin amended. "You said you were married?" Anakin asked.

"Yes, to a Jedi, Bastilla, she saved my life once, or maybe more than once," Revan said with a smile, as his eyes brightened. "We were expecting our first child, when I left to siphrion out the threat," Revan sighed, "She wanted to go with me, but I couldn't let her, even with the bond between us, there was a darkness I couldn't allow her to touch. I gave instructions for my droid to contact a woman who had been my apprentice, for if I failed she was the Galaxy's last hope. Her name I'm sure has been lost within history but she was my only Jedi apprentice, Meetra Surik. I had many lovers in my life time, though none after I married my wife, Meetra was one. She understood and she showed me a recording of my wife and child, it was the last time I ever saw them. "My son's name was Vaner Shan," Revan told Anakin. "It's Revan rearranged."

"I married when I was but a padawan," Anakin said, "to a Senator from Naboo, we are to have twins in a few months, they are very strong in the Force."

"I know, I can feel them. Let's get some sleep, this journey will not be easy for either of us. You have much to learn if you are to defeat this Emperor."

"He is not Emperor but Chancellor."

"For now, let's hope he stays only Chancellor."


	56. Chapter 56

End of the Mandalorian Wars

Revan, the once Darth Revan, had most of his memories back, as time went on, his memories had returned over time, and as he dreamed, he remembered. He thought of his friend Alek, whom he had renamed Malek, Darth Malek, his apprentice to the dark side…..

Throughout the Mandalorian Wars there were whispers of the Dark Side, secrets of the unknown and many Jedi who aligned themselves with his cause, there were none more trusted to him than his best friend Alek, and his unofficial padawan Meetra Surik, who had all been made Generals of the Republic when they had offered to join even though the Council hadn't seen the war as important, he had led many Jedi that believed as he did, that the Jedi had to be dealt with.

During the course of the War, he had decided that to win the war against the dark, one had to join the darkness to fight it, and every mission he sunk a little darker, and watched his companions sink with him, all but Meetra. He had remembered Bastilla even before she infiltrated his flagship.

How vividly he remembered the end of Mandalorian Wars, they had tracked the Mandalorian to Dxun, which was part of the core Mandalore, and Meetra was on Manachor V, those two battles seemed to happen at once, and he could feel her through the Force, until it was as if she had died. Gorse Bendack had been the Mandalore during the Mandalorian Wars. The Mandalorians appeared blood-thirsty but they had a strange sense of honor, glory and battle giving them honor, as they had respected one another, he took pride in the battles he had fought, although they didn't like attacking women or children they would if it would draw out the enemy. He remembered tracking the Mandalore, just Alec who had renamed himself Malek just weeks before at his side. He felt the Force flow through him as he set up a Force-field around the area on Dxun, so that reinforcements couldn't be called in. He could have used Force-lightning, but Revan wanted the Mandalorian to know he had defeated him as a man and not just as a force-user against a non-Force user, he didn't even use his lightsaber but left it clipped to his belt.

"Is this wise, Lord Revan?" Malek asked him as he grabbed the poisoned Sith blade and using the Force propelled himself forward.

"Don't question me, this way they will know that they are truly defeated, never to rise again," Revan had intoned darkly, as his apprentice held off the assault. Though he had taken the title of Lord and Darth privately, the Republic still believed him to be the Jedi Knight he had been, and in some ways they were right. It was only a formality that he was a Sith, he had treaded far enough down the dark path as if yet.

To Revan surprise, the Mandalore seemed ready for him and met the poisoned blade with a lightsaber though he wasn't force-adept, they had both adapted throughout this war, even though he lightsaber didn't place the Mandalore at an advantage, since he couldn't use the Force. Revan did respect the effort, even if it had been taken from a fallen Jedi. He could feel the Force presence of the fallen Jedi through the lightsaber. Revan met the blade, time and time again, dodging and parrying. Slicing and ducking. Parry for parry the poisoned Sith blade met the brilliant yellow lightsaber, the color of a Jedi Sentinel. Revan allowed the dark to enter him, to flow through him as he had allowed the dark to do. Sometimes, Reven knew, you had to enter the darkness to save the light. Still, he didn't use any of his Force- powers other than his natural ability to block attacks and his speed of dodging them, his Jedi-fast reflexes. The Mandalore threw a several thermal detonaters his way and he absorbed them within the Force unleashing them around his Force-field. It took considerable effort to maintain the Force field which was why he had needed Malak by his side. Malak shot the out a Force-wave spinning the remaining Mandalores around making them unable to either attack or defend their leader as Revan locked blades with the Mandalore, using his strength to win the contest of wills as he finally unleashed a Force jump flying high into the air and then ontop of him, the blade cutting into his body and poisoning him. Revan removed his helmet and listened to his whispered words. He held the helmet in his hands and walked away as Malak through the aside. Revan returned to the fleet to give his speech.

"Republic soldiers and Jedi," he began, several hours later. "You have all fought bravely, despite the men we have lost in battle, we have been victorious. We have saved the Republic from the Mandalorians and their crusade for galaxy dominance. No longer will women and children cower in fear and wonder if this will be the day that the Mandalorians will attack. They are defeated, never to rise again," he said, and heard the chorus of cheers. "I have the proof with me," he said as Malak came forward with the helmet. "Without this, the Mandalorians will forever be scattered and alone, never to rise against us with a single leader. I command you all to return to your families, to return to your friends, and say that you once stood with the Jedi, that you once fought the greatest threat to our way of life, that you were there when the Jedi Revan defeated the Mandalorian," he said, as a chorus wrung out, as he and Malek took a bow. "I am going to personally see that each and every one of the Mandalorians is brought back to Coruscent to stand trial for their crimes." He smiled, at their victory. The Republic would be trying to establish a basis of peace, and he would strike when he had the power to do so.

Hours later, he stood within his personal chambers with Malak and his droid, HK-47. "Master, there is an incoming transmission from General Surik."

"Patch her through, HK-47."

"Statement: As you desire, Master." Revan waited as she came through. She looked so dead to him.

"Revan, I did as you asked….Malachor V was a success. I activated the superweapon. We lost a lot of good men, but the enemy has been crushed."

"You did well," he told her, "The war is over, love. What are your plans?" he asked his lover.

The smile on her face was bitter and sardonic. There was something off about her. "I have done what we came here to do, Revan. I will return, this was war, and now it's over. I shall return to the Jedi Council, and let them judge me."

"You would allow them to pass judgment. They who sat in their Council and felt the effects of the Force, the pain of its people and did nothing?" Malek asked.

"I will, I have done what I've set out to do and now it's time to return."

"May the Force be with you," he told her.

"What are your plans?" she asked.

"I am to bring the remaining Mandalorians to justice. Keep in touch, Meetra." She laughed softly, the sound different. He knew what was different about her; he couldn't feel her within the Force.

"I will, Revan. Good luck on your quest. May the Force be with you both," she replied, bowing. When the transmission ended Malek turned to him.

"She knows too much, Revan. We should let your droid eliminate her."

"Excited Query: Should I do as the Meatbag suggests, Master?"

"No, HK-47. I am interested in learning what the Council does with her, and she's already dead. Did you not feel it, Malek?"

"What?"

"The Force didn't recognize her, doesn't flow through her, it's as if she has no connection to it," he told him.

"I still think it would be smarter to send this droid after her."

"She will be left alone, I am curious as to how she survives, and how her Trial with the Council will go."

"As you desire, I am but the apprentice," Malak said softly.

Revan sat up with a start a feeling of being shot at in his wake, he found himself as he had fallen asleep, over three thousand years into the future, with the Chosen One, his descendent Anakin Skywalker.

"What's going on?" he asked. He was met with a sheepish smile, one that contained no fear or anger about their present situation.

"It seems we are in a bit of a situation," he explained.

"You mean we are being shot at?"

Anakin nodded, "Affirmative, but I'm the best star pilot in the galaxy."

"Where are your turrets?" Revan asked.

"Strap yourself in," Anakin replied. "Artoo and I can handle this. It's just a few bounty hunters I've encountered before. They normally are no problem, but I've seemed to have landed into a pile of them," he said as he took the starship on a nosedive before spinning it as he swerved in between the other ships taking two of them out. Revan reached out with the Force and broke their concentration, and made them slow and scared, he implored several darker techniques that he doubted Anakin had thought to use against them. He delved further into the dark side causing insanity, scattering their thoughts as several of them crashed onto the nearby planet.

"We shouldn't have come out of lightspeed, but they seemed to have tracked me."

"Just land on Taris," Revan told him. Anakin contacted Taris giving them his access codes, so they wouldn't shoot him down. "You did well," he told Anakin, as memories of Taris assaulted him. This was where he had met Mission and Zalbarr. He wondered how the Wookiees of this time faired.


	57. Harem

Jabba's Harem

Satine awoke to find soft hands massaging her shoulders, and Satine moaned in gratitude, it was much needed. It almost made her forget her new circumstances, until she looked around and saw Melina and the rest of Jabba's Harem.

We let you sleep longer than we should have," she said as she rubbed her hands over Satine's shoulders and leaned in to whisper in her ear, "But you have a lot to learn, you will make a fine slave, if you heed these lessons. Being a pleasure slave is a high honor, you could have to do actual work, you know, this way you get to feast on sensual pleasures," she told Satine. "Now you will make it, just focus on the pleasure you feel," Melina advised, "Wermo, I don't know who you were before but your past isn't important, focus on the present, and you will be fine," she replied as she pressed a kiss to her neck, "Your skin is so soft, so white, but I'm sure you won't stay on this dust ball. Oola is Jabba's favorite," Melina explained, "You could learn from her," Melina pointed out the green Twi'lik. "Try your best to emulate her," she said as she walked away and Oola approached her.

"Hello, Wermo," she said with a strange smile. Before Satine could correct her Oola said, "I know, Satine, that Wermo is not your real name."

"How did you know?" Satine questioned, and Oola pulled out a small bag of pink colored spice.

"Glitterism gives you powers akin to a Jedi," Oola explained. Satine narrowed her eyes and Oola continued. "It's how I know your name; you can read the thoughts of another, go ahead think something." Oola laughed as she red her thoughts. "Melina is bisexual not gay," she said. "She's really into…lemons," Oola said with a laugh. "I have my contacts," she said. "It heightens your senses, your pleasure, and gives you strength to endure like you'd never believe. It can give you the power to get through the night," she finished and Satine found herself staring greedily almost hungrily at the spice in the bag. Oola smiled at her as she opened the bag and took a big sniff, as the effects of the glitterism washed over her, strengthening as the effects began to recede just prior to inhaling the pink powder. She passed the bag to Satine.

Satine was a duchess; she had never endured even when she had been offered at the university she had attended on Coruscent. She had never been tempted or swayed even with her heavy course load, and that had been just a simple gateway spice, this was quite different, but as she contemplated the Jedi-like effect of this drug, she wondered if she could use its effects to her advantage, if she could just have a little of Obi-Wan's powers could she not escape her life as a slave, it would be easier now than later, or would it not? She wondered if she used it to read the minds of those around her, then she could procure a plan of escape. Almost against her will she found herself scooping the pink glittering powder and placing it under her white pinky nail, she looked at the dazed smile on Oola's face as she nodded, and sighing she looked at the glittering pink powder, mystified, could it really be her salvation? Could her salvation be in such a small amount of spice? What would this do to her? She was the duchess of Mandalore could she not only condole the use of spices but indulge in them herself? She raised the powder to her nose and inhaled, as a kaleidoscope of emotions, feelings, and thoughts hit her, they were so jumbled, that she grabbed at her head from the onslaught.

Moments later she felt like she was powerful, as she read the thoughts around her and reacted to them as if they were her own. When Melina returned with her outfit, Satine reacted to the desire that Melina felt for her, seeing pictures of what Melina wanted to do, Satine walked up to her and pressed her lips to Melina's and moments later she felt the warm curves against her own, cupping and fondling her body. Melina's breath came faster before she tore herself away from the young slave.

"You are due in the Throne room, and need instruction so that you will be able to perform," she said as she began to dress Satine, putting the nipple clamps back on, she tightened them, expecting a yelp of pain, but Satine let out a moan of pleasure, as she could see herself through Melina's eyes. She then allowed Melina to slip crochless panties on her, fingering the folds of Satine's body before she withdrew instantly. She helped Satine into a long sleeved eyelet black lace robe, and belted it. The outfit was sexier than Satine in the nude. She reached down and fastened fifteen centimeter heels onto her feet, but with her new connection to the spice, Satine didn't have any trouble balancing herself, as Melina called upon other slaves to do her hair. They braided and straightened her blonde locks into a single braid down her back, pressing feathers and flowers throughout the braid and ending it with a black tie.

She stood pulling herself up to her new height as she walked, sashaying so that Melina would be pleased, it seemed she wanted to please her greatly. Satine bowed as she had been taught, her knees hitting the floor as she knelt to the ground looking up at the hearty laugh of Jabba. He was pleased with her bow, especially on her own violation, she could feel his pleasure as it radiated, the outfit was tantalizing and the chain was back in his hand, as he pulled her close, so that she fell on top of the huge Hutt, her chest pressed against his great body. Jabba moved his huge tail, sliding it around her legs as he used it to pull her to her feet. She heard the thought before he spoke it.

"Wermo, you will dance." She started to nod, but then remembered Melina's advice. She turned to Darth Wrath, and felt his pleasure at seeing her this way, and she smiled.

"If my master so commands," she replied as she looked at him, feeling his dark pleasure. There was something so dark about him. She saw him nod, and she walked past the band to the stage as she unbelted the coverlet robe and let it drop, letting the see how Melina had tightened the nipple clamps so that her nipples were kept at a hard peak, and the small chain between them raised them higher than they had ever set before, she swung her hips in time with the music as she began the belly dance. She tugged on the chain as she pressed her other finger between the folds of her crochless panties holding herself wide so that they could see what she did, as she pleasured herself. She heard the claps, the sound of blasters going off.

"Jabba, you have done well. We will leave within the fortnight," he told Jabba.

"That is just one day, there are many more tools and skills she will need," Jabba's droid translated to him, as Satine sat in a chair and waits drooled over, she felt herself flitted in and out of consciousness as she felt herself shake a few times. She wanted some more glitterism, she realized, and started dreaming of the pink powder, before she knew it, she was offered some from a small rodent-like guy in the Palace, she immediately sniffed, feeling her senses expand and retract, and her connection of reality dimmed, as the night drew on, finally she was returned to the harem where she could sleep.


	58. Chapter 58

Code

Ahsoka watched as members of the 501st surrounded Dooku as Master Shaak Ti led the restrained prisoner into Ahsoka's cruiser. Ahsoka bowed, "Master Ti, it is a pleasure as always," she said.

"Padawan Tano, I want to go on record as saying that I am against this plan, including this…Sith Lord into the custody of Clones and a padawan."

"Master Ti, I can understand your hesitancy, but Master Skywalker believes he needs this chance," Ahsoka said, "And I trust Master Skywalker," she said with full confidence.

"Yes, well, let's just hope the Council's trust in Dooku and young Skywalker isn't misplaced."

"He won't let us down, he never has," she said with confidence.

"I can assure you, Master Jedi, that my husband has only the best interest of the Jedi and of the galaxy in mind," Padme said, softly. Ahsoka and Shaak Ti had nearly forgotten she was there, with two of her handmaidens and Three-pio. Sabe and Rabe were there with her, her most trusted handmaidens. She would need help if the babies came before Anakin returned.

"Yes, Senator Amidala…uh…Skywalker," Shaak Ti said awkwardly, it was the first time she had addressed the Senator from Naboo since learning of her marriage to Knight Skywalker. Shaak Ti felt awkward around her, especially with proof of Knight Skywalker's transgression so blatantly obvious with the rounded belly that the Senator was displaying. "I just hope that release the Sith Lord into your custody isn't a bad idea."

"We are taking all precautions," Senator Skywalker told Master Ti.

"Yes, still if it wasn't for the message from Master Yoda who assures us that the seclusion will be good for Master Dooku that he needs a word like the one you are heading to, although he didn't tell me which one?" she asked, but didn't get a response. She shrugged. "I just hope he doesn't turn on you, that is the nature of the Sith," she said, in the way of a warning.

"The 501st and I can take care of Senator Skywalker."

"Yes, well, Padawan Tano, may the Force be with you," she said walking toward the ramp.

"And with you as well, Master," Ahsoka said.

"Man I thought she would never leave," Jesse said with a grin.

"This is serious, Jesse!" Ahsoka said. "We are to rendezvous with General Kenobi on Tattooine to continue the search for Duchess Satine."

"Do you think she's alive?" Kix asked. Ahsoka didn't know, but she liked to think so, despite her Jedi training, there was something of a romantic that beat within Ahsoka's breasts, it was why she was tickled to death that her master had fallen for Senator Amidala, it was why she was so excited of the prospect of the babies.

"We can only hope, Kix," she told him. Out of all her men he was the most sensitive. She wished it had been him that she was attracted to, he that the Force had pointed her to, but it was her Clone Captain. She wondered how it was possible to spend time around the face of Jango Fett and yet, there was only one she was attracted to. Rex and Echo led Dooku to one of the rooms, in which they had Kix inject him with Force suppressants.

"We know how long it takes these to wear off," Rex told him, "Kix is really good at what he does," he added. "And in case you get any funny ideas about using your Force powers on us, we have been trained by General Skywalker to resist such mental influences," he added, as he left.

"I'm sorry about this, you will only feel a pinch, and then it will cut you off from the Force for three to five hours, that way the binders will not be necessary, and you can move around as long as one of us is around. Our mandate is protection," Kix explained.

The Count leaned down and whispered, "Tell me Trooper," he said, in a silky voice, "What happens during Order Sixty Six?" The smile froze on Kix's face. Echo and Fives froze in what they were doing as Fives addressed the Count.

"How do you know about that?" he whispered in a strained voice. The Clones looked at one another as Captain Rex appeared; he was rather like General Skywalker always appearing at the right moment.

"We are going to protect our commanders and General Skywalker's family above all other orders," he said, through clenched teeth.

"Interesting. So you would fight your own….Clones for Skywalker."

"Brothers, even though we are clones, all clones are brothers," stated Captain Rex. "And I am loyal to those that are loyal to me, the General had proven his loyalty, the Chancellor has not."

"Are you aware that this conversation borders on treachery, on treason?" Count Dooku asked, and Captain Rex smirked.

"You are a traitor to the Republic, I am an Elite ARC trooper, and just who are they going to believe, when my brothers didn't hear anything?" Rex asked steely.

"So you do think independently, that's interesting, I was led to believe that you Clones would think less independently than the original host," he said. Captain Rex was on alert, how did this Sith Lord, this Separatists scum know so much about The Fett, and their background. He knew too much for his comfort. Captain Rex put his hand on his blaster.

"Would you murder me, Captain?" Dooku asked.

"No, I am not a murderer, I am a soldier. Yes, I follow orders, but following unethical orders, I will not do. Any soldier of the Republic can be charged with conduct unbecoming of a military officer, the Republic fights for those who cannot fight for themselves, we have a code of honor; we use words like code, honesty, honor, and loyalty. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent defending something. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent defending something. That is the Code, the Orders, we of the 501st follow," Captain Rex snapped, as he did an about-face and stalked out the room. Captain Rex would not follow Order Sixty-six, he would not turn on General Skywalker or Commander Tano, he could not turn on Ahsoka, or General Skywalker. He only hoped the rest of the 501st felt the same way. If it came down to it, he would warn them although he wasn't sure he could even say anything until or unless the order was mentioned. How did the Sith know about the Order? He had known even before today that loyalty to the men that had fought by his side overruled loyalty to its leader. He found himself alone with Commander Tano again. She wasn't even aware he was there, as she was going over some kind of plans. Ahsoka's brow was furrowed as she looked past him, and then at him and smiled.

"Is everything aright, Captain Rex," she asked him.

Rex smiled, a gentle smile playing on his lips as he stared at her lips, lips he had once tasted. He shook his head to clear it. "The Separatist leader is very frustrating to talk to," he explained. Ahsoka smiled.

"I haven't spent much time in conversation with him, but Skyguy seems to get along with him okay."

"I'll be glad when we don't have to be in his presence," Captain Rex added.

"Is something wrong?" she asked.

"Everything's fine, Commander," he said. "I think I'll just work out some."

"Would you like to spar," she asked. "I've got a couple of vibroblades, if you want. Jedi honor, I won't use the Force," she replied with a wink. Captain Rex smiled; he could hardly turn her down.

"Alright, Commander."

"Sabe and Three-pio have set the course for Tattooine," Ahsoka added. "And I believe Echo is there as well. We still have plenty of time," she cajoled.

"You don't have to twist my arm, let's go. I'm going to hold you to your word, with the Force," Rex told her.

"Hey, we have a deal, and I never go back on my word," she explained. She went to the armory and grabbed the blades handing one to him and taking the other. She made her way to the dueling room, and unclipped her lightsabers from her belt. She felt the power flow through her, the power of holding a weapon as her strong arms met the blade of her captain, the warmth spreading through her arms, as the muscles warmed up. She widened her stance as she made a swipe for Captain Rex's chest.

"Easy there, Padawan," she heard his voice deepen, and it sent shivers through her. He made a swipe toward her leg as she moved her blade to block it. She shot out furiously and passionately, meeting the Clone Captain, blow for blow, and block for block. She dodged and ducked, leaped and blocked, swiped and parried for the next two hours, until Padme came in to tell her they were closing in on Tatooine. Rex and Ahsoka bowed to each other.

"You did well, Commander, "he told her.

"You too, Captain," she replied. Captain Rex picked up a towel and wiped the sweat off her face.

"You have a little something," he said, meeting her eyes, finding himself unable to look away from her mesmerizing blue eyes. She reached out and held onto his wrists, and they stood there in a standstill, bot unwilling to move away, although they were sweaty and more than a little stinky.

"Rex,"

"Ahsoka," they said at the same time. Ahsoka through caution to the wind, and brought her lips to Rex's linking her arms around his neck as the towel dropped to the floor. She inhaled him, he was all male, so different for Lux, and so different from the Jedi she had spent her life around. She pressed her body flush to his and heard him moan into her. He tried to pull away from her, his senses on overload, but she moved her hands to his face and he responded to her call.

"Ahsoka," he moaned, as he continued feasting on her mouth, lazily nipping the sides of her lips as he explored. Rex didn't have much experience when it came to women, but he had heard stories from his brothers. He didn't know why he was responding to the padawan, but she was the only woman he saw when he closed his eyes, those eyes of hers haunted him. If this was what she wanted, he would give in for just a moment, they didn't have long he knew, and he wouldn't allow the Commander to be found in a compromising situation. He moved his arms, linking his hands with hers before they traveled up her wrists, her forearms, her elbows, and her shoulders. He traced the neckline of her Jedi halter top, wondering what he should do now.

Ahsoka's breath came out in little gasps, as she felt her skin tingle under her captain's caresses, she couldn't believe that she had won, that he was touching her the way she wanted. Ahsoka could have wept with joy. Ahsoka reached out and touched the Captain's armored chest; she wished she could feel his skin. Abruptly, he turned her around, as she felt her hands come up to her neck, as he untied the halter top. Ahsoka shrugged her shoulders allowing it to drop to the floor.

Rex looked into her eyes, still standing behind her. "Are you sure, Commander?" he asked, questioningly. Ahsoka nodded, and turned around to face him. Rex moaned at the sight of his commander half-naked and standing before him. The white markings against her orange skin extended past her face and hands, they crept toward her breasts and belly that were now revealed to him. "Holy Force," he whispered, she was even more beautiful than he had imagined, and he felt stirrings within him, stirrings he had exercised away previously or taken a cold shower. All this had been explained to him before he had left for battle, although relationships weren't forbidden, they were discouraged, they had been bred not to become fathers but to become warriors. All these thoughts fled his brain and memory as he hesitantly reached out to touch one orange and white globe, looking into Ahsoka's passion-filled eyes. She closed them as he reached out to touch the peak of one hardened nipple. And then he heard noises.

"It's not like the Captain to not be inspecting our uniforms before we are presented to the Commander."

"Speaking of Ahsoka, I haven't seen her for a few hours, have any of you?" asked Echo. Rex knelt down and picked up her top, standing behind her, he tied it quickly, and picked up the forgotten vibroblades. Ahsoka was still stunned. What had happened? Why had he stopped, she wondered, staring numbly at the blade in her hand, as she pressed her other hand over her swollen lips. Rex looked at Ahsoka, she had noticed anything. What good was it for her to have the Force when she hadn't sensed anything, he wondered?"

"Ahsoka," he said to her, "The 501st is looking us," he told her. She nodded, and the glazed look disappeared as she became the Commander he knew. She smiled brightly as she backed away.

"Well, this has been entertaining, Captain," she said as they got closer. "Perhaps it is worth it to not use a lightsaber once in a while."

"You should be comfortable with all types of weapons, I have heard tales that the Jedi sometimes misplace them," Rex said with a laugh. He met Jesse's eyes, who raised his eyebrows and Rex swore, realizing his mistake almost immediately. He had made a joke before a mission, something had hadn't done before. Although there was no suspicion on Ahsoka just him. And when had he started referring to her as Ahsoka in his head?


	59. MoisURE Farmers

Moisture Farmers

Obi-Wan landed on Tattoine and remembered the last time he had been here. It was to use his skills as Negotiator with Jabba the Hutt so that Anakin might obtain Jabba's heir, the Huttlet Rotta, which Ventress and Dooku had kidnapped to further their cause. He remembered the sun, the sand, the dust and it was exactly as his ex-padawan had described. Anakin really disliked his home planet, and Obi-Wan could see his distaste for the planet, Anakin loved the water that he had been denied the first nine years of his life, and Obi-Wan made enjoyed teasing him of his dislike for his home planet, whenever Anakin complained of a planet Obi-Wan was quick to remind him that there were worse planets than the planet Anakin referred to as a 'dust ball.' Anakin had given him pretty good directions to Mos Eisley, and so Obi-Wan was able to rent a land speeder with a little persuasion they accepted his republic credits.

"Oh, a Jedi. What are you doing way out here?" a Twi'lik asked him. Obi-Wan smiled, with a curious half smile.

"We have established trade routes with the Hutt," Obi-Wan explained. "I am needing a landspeeder for my travels," Obi-Wan explained. The Twi'lik smiled at him.

"I'm sure we can work something out," she said as she made a grab toward his belt. Using his Jedi reflexes, Obi-Wan grabbed her hand, and spoke in a low, even, beguiling tone.

"Republic credits will do fine."

A glazed look came over the Twi'lik as Obi-Wan used the Force to compel her to allow him to rent the landspeeder. "Republic credits will do fine."

"You want to treat yourself with more respect."

"Yes, I want to treat myself with more respect. Move along," she replied, as Obi-Wan handed her the amount he would pay on Coruscent. These sentinets really were the underbelly of the galaxy, he thought, and again wondered of Anakin's life here, and why he wanted to come back. Anakin had once told him he would never set foot on Tattooine again. Obi-Wan followed Anakin's directions and it wasn't long before he saw two gravestones on the property. Obi-Wan stopped and got out, removing the hood of his Jedi robe off his head, and he knelt and read the graves.

'Shmni Skywalker

Beloved Wife and Mother

Born a Slave, died Free

May the Force Be with you Always'

This was the grave of Anakin's mother, Obi-Wan knew, he had heard many stories of this woman from his ex-padawan, and from his former mentor, this woman had inspired his padawan, and he knelt down and said a word of prayer to the woman he had never met.

"Hello, Shmni Skywalker, I am Obi-Wan Kenobi, mentor to your son, and I hope that I have raised him as you would like. I know that like I am, you would be very proud of the man, of the Jedi he has become," he whispered. "May the Force always be with you," Obi-Wan looked at the other grave, it was freshly dug, within only the last few months he would guess.

'Cliegg Lars,

Beloved Father and Husband

A Hero to those who believed in him,

Champion of the week, an inspiration for those who do not reach for greatness.

He will be missed.'

Obi-Wan stood and looked around the moisture farm, noting the moisture vapors; they were harvesting what water there was on Tatooine. He noticed a few droids helping with the process, and then he knocked on the door, three hard sharp knocks as he waited for the door to open. A young girl who looked older than her years, with tan skin, opened the door.

"Hello, Master Jedi, how can we help you?" she asked, she had a kind smile. She was a good person, Obi-Wan knew.

"My name is Obi-Wan Kenobi, I am a Jedi Master and Councilmember and I was once the mentor to Shmni Skywalker's son, Anakin."

"You know of Anakin?" she asked, as she called out. "Owen, come here, we have visitors, Jedi," she called, and sometime later a man with dark eyes and skin like this woman's came.

"Hello, I'm Owen Lars, I owe this moisture farm, Beru is my wife," he told the Jedi. "How can we help?"

"I come with a message from your step-brother, Anakin Skywalker," Obi-Wan repeated. Beru interrupted him.

"Please come in," she told him, and Obi-Wan entered the small hovel. Once everyone was seated and the drinks poured Owen spoke.

"Mom always spoke of Anakin and the adventures he was having, the people he was saving, and I envied him in a way. He was born a slave, here on Tattooine, and he has had more life before he was twelve than I had at twenty-four, and Mom always spoke of him with such love, and she always came out to look at the stars and imagine where he was."

"The Jedi were not allowed attachments, Owen, I'm sorry."

"Dad died you know," he said, anger in his voice. "He never got over Anakin's visit, or Mom's death. He should never have left, there are always other men to fight these battles, to fight this war, if he had stayed I could have gotten to know him, and Mom and Dad would be alive."

"You can't know that," Obi-Wan said.

"You Jedi are all alive, think just because you can use the Force you are above other people."

"That's not so, Owen, I don't know what happened here…."

"Of course you don't, and you never will, you could never understand it."

"Owen," Beru said, laying a gentle hand on his arm, "Let's see what it is Anakin wants. He is family, after all," she said, softly.

"Anakin has a wife…." Obi-Wan began.

"I thought attachments were forbidden," Owen answered bitterly.

"Anakin has changed the rules of the Jedi…his wife Senator Amidala is due to have twins in the next few months."

"Is that the young woman he brought with him?" Beru asked.

"Yes, at the time he was assigned security to Senator Amidala, they married after the start of the war. Anakin has requested that I appeal to you to watch over his family until its safe."

"Why isn't always a Lars watching over Skywalker's family?" Owen asked, and Obi-Wan sensed much bitterness toward Anakin.

"Hush, Owen, Anakin is your step-brother and it's the least you could do for Mom," she told him. "We will do what we can, in this galaxy it's the least we can do it look out for one another," Beru said, and the scowl left Owen's face.

"Can you see why I love this woman?" Owen said with a laugh as he squeezed her hand and reached over to kiss her. When he turned back to Obi-Wan he smiled. "Tell Anakin we will do what we can so long as it doesn't put my family at risk," he said and Obi-Wan marveled over the change in Owen, as he drunk his blue milk and snacked on their food.

"Thank you. Anakin is a good man."

"But there is a darkness within him, or there was when he was here last," Owen commented. "I heard what happened to the Tuskans that took Mom and I can't say they didn't deserve it, however they have made him into something of a legend," Owen replied. "They call him the Blue God, with the blue sword, about how vengefully he destroyed them. Even the women and the children, and the pets, those that got away have made him larger than life."

"I want you to know," Obi-Wan said after a pause, "that those are not the actions of a Jedi, Anakin was still a padawan learner, and the dark side has sought him since he first held out his hand and called a lightsaber to it, he had been strong, yet, his attachments have left cracks in his armor, and he knows it, it is why he asks this of you."

"You are saying that having friends and family is a weakness?" Beru asked, concerned.

"I am saying they could be used against him, but we are doing everything we can to see that that will not happen," Obi-Wan explained, "by watching Padme and the twins you will be helping us, and now I must go, I have a dark Jedi to chase after, a possible Sith Lord to chase, and a Duchess to save."

"All in the life of a Jedi?" Beru teased.

"Hopefully, soon this war will be over. Padme will arrive within the week," he told her. "Good Luck, she's very much like Anakin," Obi-Wan said as he bowed in leaving and made his way toward Jabba's Palace. He paced himself and found a nearby hovel, and sank into the Force wrapping it around him as he allowed it to flow through him and was sucked into a Force vision.

_Obi-Wan could see a man who vaguely resembled Anakin, although he was much shorter, and his eyes radiated calm. He didn't have to be told that this man was Anakin's boy, Luke Skywalker. He was wearing all black, as he addressed Jabba. Obi-Wan was able to see a slave who had a regal bearing, much like Padme. She was chained to this Jabba. Across the room was a dancer in a blue outfit who had his ginger-colored hair. _

"_You will release my mother and father," Luke said, as he flicked a look toward his sister, and the man near her who held a blaster and stood behind Jabba as if he was a guard, the man had a scoundrel appearance about him, and he couldn't help but notice the heat in his gaze as he gazed at Anakin's daughter. Where was Anakin? Obi-Wan wondered. _

"_Foolish Jedi," Jabba told him. "Your mind tricks don't work on me. I do not wish to let go of my favorite wall decoration," Jabba told him in Huttese. Luke turned to look at a carbon stature of Padme and Anakin locked in carbonate, locked in each other's embrace, arms around each other, lips touching and Obi-Wan could only guess as to what situation had landed them as Jabba's favorite new decoration. _

"_Nevertheless, you can either return my parents to me, or suffer the consequences; I warn you do not underestimate my power."_

"_I told you we had powerful friends," Leia said with a smirk, apparently not concerned with the fact that she was dressed as a slave. Leia smiled and nodded. "Look out, Luke," she cried as a Bib pushed a hidden trap door, and that was when Obi-Wan walked in. _

"_I thought I warned you before about harming those who were close to me," he said to Jabba._

"_Obi-Wan Kenobi, Jedi scum, your offences have not been forgotten."_

"_Neither have yours, unless you want me to call my clones down upon you, I suggest you comply, my clones are very close and will see you in a Republic prison."_

"_Republic, Sith Empire, we Hutts have seen many things rise and fall. And the Sith will pay good money for both my wall decoration and their brat," the droid translated. _

"_Now!" Obi-Wan said and Artoo was there tossing the lightsabers in the sky as Luke caught his green one and Leia caught his yellow one, leaping in the air as she pulled away from Jabba strangling him. The Palace broke out in uproar at the death of Jabba bowing to Leia. _

"_Free the slaves!" she said to Luke. The ginger haired girl named Mara leaped into the air and landed beside Luke._

"_I'll show you the way."_

_Obi-Wan used the Force to carry the slab of Padme and Anakin with him. Obi-Wan was confused to the bowing of Leia, but after the death of Jabba they had stayed bowing to her._

"_Uncle, what do I do?" she asked him._

"_Use the Force, allow it to flow through you," Obi-Wan told her, and saw a look of frustration enter into her eyes, a look that he keenly remembered from Anakin's padawan days, as she took a deep breath and did as he said. She jumped down to the rancer pit and climbed ontop the rancer as she lifted both of them into the Throne room. _

"_You are free, to the rancer to the slaves, you are free. None of us were meant for our destinies to be controlled by another."_

"_Most of us," said a slave, "Do not know anything else, what shall we do, where shall we go."_

"_Wherever you want, whatever you want," Leia replied._

"_We shall follow you," the slave answered. Leia shrugged._

"_We shall follow you, Princess," Another one said._

"_All hail Princess Leia,"_

"_Princess of the Jedi,"_

"_Princess of Naboo."_

"_Princess of Tattooine."_

"_Princess of the Galaxy," Leia looked at Obi-Wan again._

"_We must go," she told them, and they all followed her, she had a group behind her, and Luke and Mara appeared. _

Obi-Wan knew now how he would save his love, how he would save the Duchess of Mandalore.


	60. Chapter 60

Beginning of the End

Jedi Master Kota and High Councilman Jedi Master Plo Koon swept wordlessly through the Jedi Temple and into the Republica where the Senators lived and worked, they had an appointment with Senator Bail Organa. Master Kota checked in with the receptionist and had a seat with Master Plo, it seemed like hours but it may have only been minutes before they were told to come on in. As they entered Senator Organa rose from his desk and bowed.

"Master Jedi, how might I help you? I am glad to see you are both well, it has been some time since we last spoke."

"Are you aware that the Jedi have been tracking the Sith Lords for quite some time?"

"Yes, Padme…that is Senator Skywalker...told me about the Sith …Darth Maul who was in charge of the Trade Federation that tried to destroy her home planet," Senator Organa said as he shook their hands. "Please, Master Jedi, have a seat, can I get you any refreshments," he asked. "I'll just ring…" he started, he receptionists was a Twi'lik and was appeasing to his guests.

"No, that won't be necessary," Master Plo Koon said, and Bail nodded.

"Shall we get down to business?" Master Kota asked.

"Yes, yes, of course," Bail said with a smile. "I'm all ears. So this Sith that was thought to be destroyed by Master Obi-Wan…"

"He was just the apprentice, and it appears Master Dooku too was just an apprentice…"

"Which brings us to the Master," Kota interrupted. "He is here on Coruscent, has been pulling the strings for some time, we need someone to step in so that when he is brought to justice the Republic doesn't fall into chaos," he explained. Bail's eyes narrowed.

"And that someone would be me?"

"Yes, you have shown a great deal of compassion and sensitivity, which is just what the Republic needs."

"And where does the Chancellor fit into all this?" Bail asked.

"Chancellor Palpatine is Darth Sidious, the Sith Lord we have been searching for," Master Plo revealed, "We need to be able to count on you, or the Senate or we feel all the ideals we have fought so long for will be lost, this war would have been fought for nothing, we will need you so that we can get on the road to peace and recovery."

"Allow me to think this over," Bail asked. The Jedi smiled and stood.

"Of course, Senator, don't take too much time, the fate of the galaxy could be in your hands," he said and they left.

"He could be our only hope," Master Plo told Master Kota. "I have a feeling it won't be long before this war reaches its head, it's almost anticlimactic that Sidious has been under our nose all this time, orchestrating the war," Plo replied, he seemed older and more tired than ever. His comm went off and he checked the message. It was astounding, General Grievous had been located on Utopia, they would have to deal with him and the war would end. Master Plo called a meeting so they could take care of the leader of the droid army. Master Ti , Master Kit Fitso, Master Mundi and Master Tinn, took their councilchairs while Master Kenobi met by holocron, they could see the world of Tattooine in the distance, as the blue shadow figure of Master Kenobi took his seat. Master Yoda wasn't there at all, meditating in his exile. Master Halycron was with his wife who was giving birth to their second child.

"I have just been informed that we now have the location of General Grievous, and we hold within our grasp the power to end the war," he said.

"A master," Master Ti said, "Should go. Only a master has a chance to succeed where so many have failed."

"They should take a legion of our troops, just knowing the planet he has fled to is not enough, he will need help of the Clones to track him," Master Kit said.

"There is still the matter of Sidious," Plo reminded him.

"I believe," Master Tinn said, "That you should go Master Plo, you have the best chance of all of us to defeat him."

"You are an excellent strategist and the have the best chance in finding General Grievous," Master Mundi added.

"I don't seek recognition," Master Plo said slowly, "It has always been enough to serve. I will go if the majority decides it," he said, in his way. They did. They voted and Master Plo was to leave, but first he would visit his niece. With everything that was going on he hadn't made time for her, but he would tell her good-bye after all many Jedi had fought against Grievous and their lives had paid the forfeit, he would like to talk to his niece before he left.

Master Plo walked the halls until he felt the telepathic link between himself and his niece flair to life. There in front of the Thousand Fountains stood his niece, Jedi Knight, Sha Koon. He hugged her and stared down at his niece, he had never realized how precious she was to him. "When you go looking for trouble," he told her, "You usually find it, I'm to go seek out and apprehend General Grievous, I need you to contact me if anything goes wrong," he said, pulling her into a hug. "And I want you to search the archives for any mention of this Sidious and listen for any rumor of Palpatine, this is very important," he told her.

"I will do as you ask," she told her uncle, aware of the bond between them growing deeper. "May the Force be with you, Uncle," she said, acknowledging their relationship and calling him something other than Master for the first time in her life. Master Plo checked up with the Clones and noticed a request from Anakin for a transfer. Dogma. He would see to it that he was transferred and sent ahead with Obi-Wan's clones the 212nd were sent to Tattooine where Anakin, Obi-Wan and Ahsoka were headed. Master Plo was taking care of transfers and putting the Clones in the right place. He hated for too many of them to remain on Coruscent with the galaxy at war. Plo contacted Commander Wolfe to gather the Wolfe pack and sent a message to his battalion, the 104th and put in their orders to be processed, it was part of a war, knowing where each man was and where he was supposed to be, it was how they knew how many men they had and which of their troopers hadn't made it. He had lost a lot of good men in this war, and had made a lot of friends, he could only hope he had done enough as he felt the end of the war drawing to a close, he could only hope that they had all done enough so that Sidious, the Dark One, would not control both the Galaxy and their Chosen One. He would not fall, and as long as Anakin remained in the path of light, the Dark One would not win; now all he had to do was take out the General of the droid army. He wondered how Anakin was fairing, how Obi-Wan's search was going and hoped that the Clones could help them. He looked down at his men and smiled as he began his speech.

"Commander Wolfe, Troopers of the 212nd, we have been given the greatest mission of the war. We are tasked with ending the war; it is during this mission, the final mission of the war, that we will honor all our brothers who have fallen during the war. I am very proud to have fought with each and every one of you. We are to find and bring the General of the Droid army to justice, we fight for peace, we fight for justice and we find for all those who cannot find for themselves, whose with me?" he asked and heard the applause as they made their way off planet and into the galaxy searching Utopia for the General.


	61. Return of the Clones

Return of the Clones

Dogma sat in his cell, and contemplated his actions, he had been wrong and he regretted it every moment since the death of the Jedi traitor, and that was what Krell had been, he didn't regret taking the Jedi's life, not when the Jedi had put so many of his brother's life at risk, had disregarded them as droids, nothing more. He wished there was some way to apologize to Captain Rex, Jesse, Tup, Kix, and Fives. He really did regret his actions, and he wanted to be with them, with the General Skywalker they spoke so highly of. Dogma remembered General Skywalker though he hadn't served under him as had his brothers. He had been guarded by members of the 212nd. He remembered sitting in a cell-like atmosphere when General Skywalker came in. He had stood up and saluted.

"Sit down, Dogma," Anakin Skywalker had said, and Dogma had been surprised that he had known him by name; General Krell hadn't seem to know him by name. He didn't feel sorry for killing the Jedi and he would tell General Skywalker if he asked. Dogma sat obeying the order.

"General Skywalker?" Dogma asked.

"My Clone Captain Rex speaks highly of you," Anakin told him, as he sat down. "He says you are loyal."

"Sir?" Dogma repeated.

"You've had a hard time of it while I was away, but I'm back now. The 501st are my Troops and leadership will never again be trusted to another, you have my word on that," Anakin said, holding out his hand, to shake. Dogma took his hand, noting the differences between Skywalker and Krell; he could understand why Hardcase, Fives, Jesse, Kix, Tup, and Captain Rex trusted this Jedi.

"Thank you, General Skywalker," Dogma replied.

"Think of this, Dogma, as a learning experience, and I will be glad to welcome to rejoin the squadron."

"Thank you, General Skywalker. General, what did Captain Rex say about me?" he asked and Anakin tossed him a grin.

"He said you were wound tighter than a blaster but that he knows of no man more loyal than you," Anakin said, standing to leave.

"Thank you, General, and I do hope the day comes when I can rejoin you and my brothers." Anakin left without another word. Dogma sat there pondering the differences between General Krell and General Skywalker, he knew his brothers were loyal to General Skywalker and hoped the man deserved it, somehow he was certain that he did. He watched as his cell was unlocked and a familiar face greeted him, it was his own face, the face of a brother, the face of a Clone.

"You've been reassigned," he was told. "I'm Commander Cody, the 212nd is to give the remaining members of the 501st a lift, you are to join the 212nd with General Kenobi and rejoin the 501st with General Skywalker and his padawan Commander Tano," Cody told him. "This here is Boil," he introduced. Dogma nodded at both of them.

"I am released?"

"Released is a strong word?" Boil told him, "Let's just say that General Skywalker requested your presence, and when he requests something it usually happens, a lot of people respect Generals Skywalker and Kenobi, you are a very lucky man Dogma."

"Yes, I am," he said.

"We are returning your armor," Cody told him. "If you will just follow me," Cody led him to a locker where he was able to look at himself, he needed a haircut and a shave. He looked in the mirror at the tattoo on his face, and the one on his upper arm that he had had done shortly after arriving, on his upper arm it read 'Death before dishonor' and that didn't just mean himself but anyone fighting for the Republic. He found his armor, and just like the rest of the 501st it had stripes of blue to distinquish himself as one of Skywalker's men. He placed blasters in the holsters and added a couple of grenades as he returned to Boil and Commander Cody following them to the gunship. It was obvious that Commander Cody was in charge.

At the back of Dogma's mind, he thought of Order Sixty-Six, had eliminating Krell been part of that order? Was that why he was being taken back? Could Skywalker know of Order Sixty-Six? The Order the ensured total loyalty to the Chancellor of the Republic? Could the Chancellor be using them like General Krell? Dogma knew that he could not follow orders from those he could not trust. Right now the only Orders he would follow would come from either Captain Rex or General Skywalker, they were the only ones as far as Dogma was concerned that had proven their loyalty to him, and to none other. He would follow the Orders and he would follow Captain Rex and those Captain Rex trusted or his name wasn't Dogma.

Dogma followed Commander Cody to the cruiser that was to take them to Tattooine where the rest of the 501st would be waiting for him. He hoped they would be glad to see him. As he looked around at the yellow striped on the 212nd a stripe of blue stood out. He took off his helmet as he approached a member of the 501st .

"Is that you?" he heard.

"Dogma, Ct- at your service," Dogma said.

"Dogma? I thought I would never see you again, or any of my brothers," Hardcase said, ripping the helmet off his head as he enveloped Dogma in a hug. "I'm glad you returned," he said, and Dogma noticed the burns that now marked Hardcase's face.

"What happened?" Dogma asked, wondering if General Skywalker wasn't as trustworthy as he had thought. Dogma's loyalty was to his brothers, to the clones, not to the Jedi and not to the Chancellor.

"Oh, it was my own blasted fault. We were on a mission and I was told to pull back, you know how hardheaded I can be," Hardcase told him and Dogma gave him a half-smile as he waited to hear the rest. Captain Rex had been right, they might have been engineered but they weren't droids. "I haven't seen you since Umbraa," Hardcase said, thoughtfully. "That was some mission eh, General Krell pitting us up against one another. You did nothing wrong, you know," he told Dogma.

"Yeah, I know. He wasn't a Jedi anymore. He was using us, he betrayed us."

"We were all proud of you for doing what we found hard to do."

"Thanks, Hardcase," Dogma told him. "Do you ever think about Sixty-Six?" he asked.

"Ah. I agree with Captain Rex, we all have to make our own choices, we may have been engineered but we aren't droids."

"Yes, I agree to."

"So what does that mean, when and if the order comes down."

"I will follow Captain Rex, he seems to know more than the Jedi or the Chancellor, how can I be loyal to a man I haven't even met?" Dogma asked with a dry laugh.

"I know what you mean, I mean what if he's not any different than Krell."

"Do you think General Krell knew about it? He saw the end of the Jedi," Dogma reminded Hardcase.

"It's hard to say what Krell saw or knew. I think he was at least half-insane, they saw the Force can do terrible things to a mind."

"What about General Skywalker?" Dogma asked.

"He is the Hero With No Fear, The Chosen One, he is a great warrior and a good friend," Hardcase told him. The brothers walked to the mess hall.

"Do you know anything about where we are headed?"

"Tattooine? Yeah, I know a little. General Skywalker was from there, they say. It's Hutt territory, neutral for both the Seps and us."

"So why would Generals Skywalker and Kenobi go there."

"All I know is what I've heard from Commander Cody, General Kenobi's mission is to find the Duchess of Mandalore."

"But why are we needed?" Dogma asked.

"We'll find out soon enough," Hardcase told him. Dogma would not trust easily anymore. He would do what he could to protect his brothers. "You have heard the news have you not? It's been on the HoloNews for months."

"What's that?" Dogma asked.

"They say that our General…that is General Skywalker broke the Jedi Code and got himself hitched," Hardcase told his brother.

"Hitched?" Dogma repeated.

"The HoloNews is disappointed that they haven't been able to locate them since General Skywalker and Kenobi stumbled home drunk," Hardcase said with a grin, "It was all over the HoloNews, how two dignified Jedi members got themselves drunk," he laughed. "You should have seen them singing," he added. "They say General Skywalker married Senator Skywalker…or Amidala as she was called," he added.

Dogma knew that there was no way this General Skywalker was anything like Krell, even if he hadn't married just knowing the loyalty his brothers felt was enough. "General Skywalker is different, he came to visit me, sometimes he sent me cards while I was in solitude," he added, remembering. "He was usually too busy to visit, but he would have things sent," he added.

Hardcase laughed, "Sounds just like the General. So there I was Fives and Jesse at my sides, with the Umbreaan fighters, right? We got trapped trying to destroy the Seps supply ships. I leave my fighter, ignoring Fives. Always have been a bit of a hardhead, eh?" he said to Dogma. "Anyway, there I was, out there Jesse and Fives calling for me to return, but do I listen? You bet I don't. I make it pass the shield and I smash the generators. Next thing I know these an explosion behind me, and I wake up in some civilian's home. I was burnt pretty badly, and not all my scars healed, but I lived, and now I'm going back, joining my brothers and looking for a piece of the action," he told Dogma. "Let's take down the Clinkers," he called as members of the 212nd raised their drinks agreeing with him. Dogma raised his.

"Let's kick some Sep butt," he agreed.


	62. Chapter 62

Attack of the Sith

Darth Maul was ready to take the mantel of the Sith, he was ready to attack Darth Sidious. This war would end, with him victorious. He was a Sith Master in his own right, had his own plans to carry out and his former master stood in his way. He would turn the Republic into an Empire, one forged in his own image, his image, his Empire, he would no longer bow to anyone, he would be no one's apprentice, no one's slave, for once, and he would have the galaxy within his grasp. He would destroy his master, and reveal all to the galaxy. He knew just where his master would be, first his master, and then the Jedi would feel his wrath. Darth Maul sent a message, to Lord Wrath, his apprentice.

"I secure the galaxy for the taking, if I fail, then seek out Chancellor Palpatine, he is the Sith Master," Darth Maul recorded for his apprentice, he would see the Sith survive; become stronger even if he did not survive. Then, he stalked toward the Chancellor's chambers. He was immediately stopped by the red guards, who he ran his lightsaber through, decapitating them at once, Maul watched as their blood sprayed on the floor. He heard the alarm go off as he entered the Chancellor's chambers.

"You have grown weak old man," Darth Maul sneered, as Darth Sidious rose from his chair.

"You wish to challenge me, then?" he asked, seemingly weary. "You lack the power and the determination to destroy me, and the Jedi will be coming to my aide," he said, tiredly. "You will die."

"Perhaps, but I will bring you down with me," Maul said through gritted teeth, bearing his teeth his metal legs clanking as he charged as his former master.

Darth Sidious could barely keep from cackling, he had foreseen the turn of his apprentice. He had foreseen Maul coming to test him, and he welcomed the test. He would reveal himself to the Jedi, if he didn't then Maul would, and Maul was inconsequential, he had served his purpose it was time to destroy him, he had outlived his usefulness, now that he had a new apprentice. There was no better time to destroy the Jedi despite Anakin Skywalker being absent, he would have preferred the Chosen One for his apprentice but if he couldn't have him, Wrath would do nicely. Master Yoda had gone into hiding, Master Windu had become the Sith Lord Wrath, and Master Plo was fighting General Grievous or would be soon, Master Kenobi was Force knew where, his most imminent threats were out of the way, there wasn't a better time to take over the Republic and turn it into his Empire, all he had to do was dispose of his wayward apprentice.

"This is exactly as I have foreseen," Sidious cackled, as he withdrew his lightsaber from his cloak and met his apprentice's strikes drawing on the Force to slow the movements of his apprentice. "Everything that has happened has transpired according to my design. You pathetic fool, you wish to challenge me when you cannot even challenge your own apprentice," he said, with a laugh as he dodged another blow from his apprentice. The two dark lords heard the alarms and noticed the appearance of Master Tin, Master Mundi, and Master Allie who stood there motionless as the two Sith Lords battled; the blood-red lightsaber's humming and buzzing as they clashed into one another.

Maul knew that the weakness that Sidious portrayed was but an act, and that the Jedi that had arrived with the alarm sounding after he had killed the Red Guards had alerted the Jedi. He knew better than to underestimate Sidious, this was a fight to the death, a fight for the Empire that had yet formed. Darth Maul separated his double-hilted saber into two sabers, using the superhuman strength of his legs to pin his former mentor. He stepped on the Dark Master.

"It is over for you, my master," he said, preparing for the killing blow.

But Sidious wasn't done yet; he unleashed a torrent of lightning on his former apprentice, as the Jedi leapt into action, their lightsaber's drawn, only Master Allie contacted Senator Organa before she joined her comrades, waiting to arrest the winner of this battle. Maul wasn't able to stand the electrical currents running through his legs, all the metal against the electricity, and where the metal met flesh, he was in agony, and he grabbed onto the post and gasped with the pain of it all.

"You still have much to learn, my apprentice," he said, as he crept to his feet.

"So…it….would….seem," he said reaching out for one of his fallen lightsabers, in one swift moment Sidious had sliced through one of his arms and he howled in pain.

"You have breathed the last breath you will ever take, unlike Kenobi I won't leave you in pieces, I will finish the job once and for all, showing you how a true Sith deals with his enemies. And now, apprentice, you will die," he said as the lightning flew from his fingertips, and Maul shuttered in pain. Sidious used a Force push to shatter the glass and swept his apprentice down and out. "He had his uses," he remarked as he turned to face the Jedi.

Master Mundi spoke first, "Are you the Sith Lord?" he asked. Palpatine mimicked him.

"Are you the Sith Lord?" he laughed."Am I? Even if true, that's hardly a crime. My philosophical outlook is a personal matter. In fact—the last time I read the Constitution, anyway—we have very strict laws against this type of persecution. So I ask you again: what is my alleged crime?"

"You have murdered hundreds, thousands." Master Tinn stated, shocked.

"Of course I am, did you not just see my apprentice attempt to kill me," he asked. He sighed, "So is the way of the Sith, to turn on those who are closest to them, but you know that already, do you not?

"You do not deny it?" Master Allie asked.

"No, of course not, but my religion is hardly up for debate now is it?" he asked.

"You are under arrest," Master Mundi informed him. Sidious smiled.

"Its treason then, is it, Master Jedi?"

"You are under arrest, the Senate will decide your fate," Master Tinn said.

Sidious dropped all pretense of Palpatine as he curled his lips into an evil snarl, and his eyes glowed yellow with red irises, the trademark of a Sith, the color drained from his skin, leaving the man looking evil and deceitful. "I AM THE SENATE!" he screamed as he unleashed a torrent of lightning and swung his lightsaber, beheading the three Jedi. "That was all too easy," he said. He called forth his shocker troopers to remove the bodies as he opened up his holoprojector. He spoke to many Clone Troopers across the galaxy as he spoke in a low, grave tone. "Execute Order Sixty-Six," he said.

And throughout the Galaxy there was chaos as the Clone Troopers were unsure of whether to follow their Jedi comrades or their Supreme Chancellor. Some Clones turned and fired on their Jedi leaders, while others talked among themselves and decided not to follow the directive. Many Jedi died, and many lived. The Galaxy was in a state of chaos, the war that Sidious had orchestrated had done its job there were many in the galaxy that didn't trust the Jedi, and yet, because of Sidious's campaign to acquire Skywalker and his gifts there were many who still trusted in him, in Skywalker and in his padawan and master.

The Supreme Chancellor spoke quickly to the Clones directly under his command. "The Jedi have a plot to assassinate me, we will not let them succeed. Every single Jedi is a traitor to the Republic, and must be dealt with decisively and swiftly. You are my troopers, the best out there, and it is why you must come with me as we apprehend them with whatever Force is necessary."

"Sir, yes, sir," they replied, as blasters were passed out, and Sidious headed toward the Temple. Master Ti was there, and she smiled at him, the fool.

"Chancellor, can I help you with something? Is there something I can do for you?"

Darth Sidious smiled, "Yessssss," he hissed at her, "You can die!" and without warning he raised his hand and using a high dosage of electricity was able to render her helpless, as many Jedi knights and padawans sought to aide her, but he had his Troopers who fired on the padawans and knights. Sidious fed on it, oh, the sweet feeling of victory. For over a thousand years, the Sith had hid in the shadows while the Jedi thrived, but no longer, not it would be the Sith who were out in the darkness, while the Jedi hid their candles.

Sidious smiled, remembering how he had gained the power to disband the Jedi, what better way than to see to it personally. He came upon the master dualist. Master Cin and he smiled.

"Expecting someone else?" he asked, as he raised his lightsaber for battle. "Let's see how good you really are."

Cin Drallig had been expecting Anakin Skywalker, years ago he had had a vision of Anakin marching upon their Temple, it was why he had taught him as little as possible and yet Skywalker had become one of the greatest duelist in the Order and always drew a crowd no matter who his opponent. "You cannot win, you are Sith."

"Oh, Master Jedi, I think you will find it is you that cannot win," he replied, as his Clones formed a circle around him, and Sidious threw his blood-red lightsaber through his sword hand, and left, leaving the Clones to take care of him. And that was how it went; he either beheaded, or defeated his opponent in some way as his Clones followed, taking orders, destroying the Jedi on his command, on his order.

Sidious then headed toward the Archives where he found Master Nu, pathetic he thought. To think that all they had guarded their precious archives was an old woman, it almost wasn't worth his time, he thought as he kicked her, and then began draining her life force through the dark side of the force. She didn't deserve to live, she never had lived, and the Jedi were pathetic. To hold such power and not use it was a crime in and of itself, and he was just punishing them, making them understand what true power really was. Only now did they see just how powerful he was. It was he who had manipulated Windu into becoming Wrath, using her jealously and anger toward Skywalker to accomplish the task, it was he who had turned Barriss against the Jedi, he who, too, had used the stupid Gungan to start this war, who had ordered the death of Qui-Gon Jinn, the only Jedi who would have seen through his manipulations, and it was he who would turn the Republic into an Empire, and he who would destroy the Jedi and their Order. He had manipulated both sides of the war, but only in the end did they see.

He smiled as he had been given the clearance code just today say he sent out a signal that signaled the end of the war, sending any remaining Jedi home to the Temple where his Clones would be waiting. Sidious freed Barriss.

"Master, it's so good to see you again," she said with a dark smile before hitting her knees in a bow.

"Rise, my servant, you will continue destroying the Jedi with the Clones," he told her, touching her head in apparent kindness, petting her as one would a pet.

"Your will, my hands," she said, as she continued on with the Clones. Sidious turned and noticed a group of younglings. Too easy, he thought.

"Chancellor Palpatine," a young boy said, "There are too many of them, what will we do," he asked. Sidious smiled as he hugged the boy close, and stabbed him through the heart, taking satisfaction as he gripped the heart of the young Jedi, biting into it as he pulled it to his mouth. The other younglings were scared, and he drained their life forces effortlessly, and closed the door, tossing the remaining heart to the ground. He walked through the Temple laughing manically at the destruction of the Jedi and their vaulted Temple. They would be crushed never to rise again. Darth Sidious left the Temple to Barriss and the Clones, as the power of taking the lives, of the fear, of death, coursed through his veins, feeding the dark side and his own power. He called a meeting with his closest adviser and Admiral Tarkin, two key forces in the Republic.

"Mas Amedda," he said, and turned to Tarkin, "Admiral, I am going to need your help."

"What is it, Chancellor?" Tarkin asked.

"I was attacked, there was an attempt made on my life."

"Who would do such a thing?" Mas Amedda asked.

"The Jedi Order, they are being dealt with now," he told them. He lifted his tunic showing the marks Maul had made. "They left me scarred," he told them, as he noticed their concern.

"The Jedi will not get away with this!" Admiral Tarkin admonished, "I knew they were bad lots, it's a shame we couldn't have brought that girl to justice," he said.

"Quite right," he said, as he manipulated them, he watched as they left knowing the story would spread quicker that a Wookiee on its way to a meal.

Several hours later, Darth Sidious had called a meeting for the Senate of the Grand Republic, he walked up shaken.

"Take your time, Chancellor," Mas Amedda said.

"I personally met with the Chancellor after the attack, he was battered and shaken. The Jedi tried to assassinate our leader, the leader of freedom, of peace, and they tried to destroy everything we have sought for in this war. They have been manipulating the entire war, but no longer. Clone Troopers have reported the death of the General of the Droid army, not by a Jedi, but by our own Clones. It appears that more than ever we will need our Clone Troopers," Mas Amedda watched as the Chancellor took a shaky breath.

"The attack on my life," he said, "has left me shaken and scared, but my resolute has never been stronger," he lowered his hood, to display scars from random blaster bolts that the Jedi had deflected toward him. "We must move quickly. The Jedi are relentless. If they are not all destroyed, it will be civil war without end. I am here to protect all of you from ever suffering at the hands of a Jedi. I love peace, I love democracy, and so it is with a heavy heart that I organize the Republic into the First Galactic Emperor, and I go down in history as the Last Chancellor of the Republic, I assure you that the ideals of the Republic will be honored."

"And how is that?" Senator Organa spoke.

"To organize an Empire is to disregard all the ideals we have worked for, we have fought for, the lives of good men, of our Clones that have died. Have we forgotten that it was not long ago that we needed the Jedi, that they were fighting for us. I cannot believe that they would turn on the Republic. Open your eyes, people, and Empire is the very thing we have been fighting against!"

"Are you harboring Jedi, are you a traitor then?" Palpatine asked. Bail looked around at the angry looks and knew that today he would not win, he would have to speak to Padme, and the Jedi and figure out their next move.

"I meant no disrespect, I am just as confused as everyone else, and think, that maybe we don't know the whole story, of course I support you, I am a Loyalist," he replied and the Chancellor smiled.

"I am the Emperor of the First Galactic Empire!" he shouted. "Power, unlimited power, we will never again fear, we shall have peace!" he replied and the senate erupted in applause.

"Padme, if only you were here, you would hate to see democracy fade and watch the Senators accept it openly never wondering how this will affect the average person on their planet."

And on Tattooine, a Jedi Master was admitted to Jabba's Palace as two life forces cried out in agony as they felt the Force swirl around them, as they felt the deaths of the Jedi, the huddled together as they began their decent into the world. Padme called out, as she stumbled, her water breaking.

"Kix, I think I'm going into labor," she told him. "Oh Ani, please hurry." Ahsoka and the rest of the 501st huddled around Padme as they did what they could for her. Out of all of them only Ahsoka and Kix could be any help, Ahsoka could use the force for healing, and Kix was the medic, they would do what they could for Anakin's wife and children.

On Taris, Revan and Anakin felt it, the darkness was growing, it had culimated in whatever was happening right now, and they were stuck on Taris, while Jedi died, while the Empire formed and while Padme went into labor.

On Utopau, Master Plo had found and destroyed General Grevious when he turned to Commander Wolfe and saw a message. "Master Plo, I have to tell you something, its important," he began as he made a motion for everyone to drop their blasters. "I have received Orders from Chancellor Palpatine, it was confirmed that the Jedi are traitors of the Republic," he stated.

"Ahh…then it has happened, we can only hope that many Jedi have escaped, and that Senator Organa will come through for us," he stated, as they began packing up and preparing to leave the planet.

On Dantooine, Cut heard the news. The Jedi were traitors, he really didn't have much of an opinion of the Jedi, having only seen them a few times, what he was looking for was what Captain Rex would do. He knew that this would put his brother in a tight situation, if he chose to stay with the Empire, he would be following orders, but it he didn't…then Cut didn't know of another man he would ever respect as much. Cut hugged his children close, and pulled his wife close as they watched the HoloNews. He just hoped the Empire didn't come to Dantooine.


	63. Assault on the Jedi

Assault on the Jedi

The once Jedi turned Sith follower Barriss Offee led the assault after her master left, he had left her in charge, and she could feel the power racing through her veins like a drug that she couldn't get enough of. She knew there were bound to be straggler Jedi, and she attacked, her now blood-red lightsaber cutting through the air the crimson blade adding even more bloodshed to the once great Temple. She smiled as she remembered those that had defied the Order, those that had families, and she turned toward the Marek's home, the Troopers behind her.

Kento and Millie had heard the attack, and Millie kissed her son's head handing him to his father, before igniting her lightsaber and meeting the danger head on, protecting her son, preventing the enemy to get her hands on his son. She was a tigress and even if death took her she would protect her son. Kento grabbed his wife and kissed her lips passionately, afraid that this night would see the end of them both.

Kento smiled at Proxy. "Proxy, turn on auto-record," he told the droid Anakin had given him.

"Jedi Knight, Anakin Skywalker, I want to thank you for…" he paused as he heard the sound of footsteps, of marching getting ever closer, "for Proxy, he has proved invaluable, don't blame the droid, I have ordered him to protect our son at all costs, if I am to die, know that we admire you and are grateful that you had the courage we lacked, that you made it possible for us to become not only Jedi but parents as well. Master Kota, it is my wish that you seek out Knight Skywalker he is the key to everything, he set this in motion, and he is the future of the Jedi. Master Kota, please see that my son is cared for, and trained in the ways of the Jedi, and Galen, my son, my dear Galen, know that your mother and I love you more than anything in the galaxy, and that we have and would have done anything and everything to protect you, know that you are loved, and that never for one moment would we change a thing," he said. Proxy morphed into Kento, as he soothed the crying Galen. Kento looked down at his only son, as he heard a scream, and felt his wife's pain. "May the Force be with you, always, my son," he said as he used his Jedi speed to reach his wife.

"Kento," she replied, her voice weak as she reached out to touch his dear face. "Know that I have always loved you, that I would sacrifice everything for our family," she whispered as her life force faded away slowly.

"Why is this happening?" he asked himself.

"Because it's supposed to, you cannot stop it my love, our son will be safe, he will flourish in this new world as we disappear to become one with the Force."

"No! No! No!" he screamed as he held onto her fingers. "Fight for me, my love. We are Jedi, and we will never go out, not like this," he told her, and he hadn't sensed it as a Trooper shot him in the back, and he laid there bleeding to death from the shock troopers' blaster as his arms curled around his wife.

"Don't fear my…love," she whispered, stroking his hair, as their life forces slowly left their bodies, leaving corpses in their wake, corpses for the Jedi Master General Rohm Kota to find.

General Kota had known he had to protect the younglings, and so, he had gone to wear the younglings would hide, finding what looked like a half-chewed heart at the door. He quickly slid the door open, and found the younglings, absent their life Force, the younglings were dead, and their pupils drained of all color, what kind of monster could do something like this? The monster hadn't merely killed them, but had mutilated their poor young bodies. Having failed the younglings, he headed toward the Merek's home to find the dead body of Millie and Kento embraced, together forever, even in death.

Master Kota knelt down and closed their eyes, unable to look into the unseeing eyes of the couple. He wept for them, and would grieve later, they had been of the future, they had been a stellar example of a Jedi and what nurturing an attachment could do for the Jedi, and they were dead, they would never see their young son take his first steps into a larger world, they would never see him become an initiate, or a padawan. They would never see him do anything, and Master Kota's eyes filled with tears. "Rest in peace," he whispered as he entered their home. Everything seemed to be right and then he heard the squeals of a baby. "Galen," he called. "Proxy," he shouted, looking around frantically.

"Thank the Maker," he heard, and Master Kota had never been so glad to see a droid before in his life, not with fighting against droids in the war. The War that he assumed was over. What would the remaining Jedi do now? Where would they go? Master Kota pressed a series of buttons on his beacon contacting the Chosen One. Then, he heard his beacon go off, telling him to return to the Temple. Oh, no, he thought as he spotted Galen, and he held the child, soothing the child's troubles. Any straggler Jedi would be caught, he had to do something. Master Kota searched the place for baby things and put them in a diaper bag.

"I hope that's enough," he muttered to himself. "I haven't been on crèche duty in over twenty years," he mumbled unhappily, "What am I to do with you?" he asked Galen, but Galen being a baby didn't reply. He was glad he remembered, but was afraid that the supplies were low, and he wasn't sure how long they would last. Galen walked through the Temple relieved to find Master Ti in critically condition but alive and Master Kit a little banged up but alive as well. He contacted his militia, and before long had set them up to travel as refugees, they had to careful especially now. He had always known the Clones were a bad breed, how could one expect loyalty from an army of one man? No, they just wouldn't do, he couldn't believe so many Jedi had put their trust in these Clones; they had been doomed to failure from the beginning. He finally was able to get in contact with Anakin Skywalker whose eyes were more haunted than he remembered.

"Master Kota, what has happened, we felt a major disturbance in the Force, almost as if a million voices cried out and were silenced, and then my beacon went off, with the signal to return home."

"Knight Skywalker, you mustn't under any circumstances return to Coruscent," he told him. "The Jedi Temple has been attacked; I can only hope more Jedi survived. I was only able to find Masters Kit and Ti, who are with me. The Galen's were murdered," he told Anakin.

"But who, who would do such a thing?" Anakin asked the pain evident on his face.

"The Sith Lord who orchestrated this whole thing. There are holos of his march upon the Temple, all Jedi are now enemies of the Republic," Master Kota reminded him.

"What?" Anakin asked. Anakin motioned to his companion, "This is the Jedi Revan, and I am hoping that he can be of some help." Master Kota thought that name might have meant something to him, but right now he couldn't remember. "Chancellor Palpatine…" Master Kota revealed, "was the Sith Lord, we were taking steps to protect the Republic, it looks like we were a little late. I apologize for keeping you in the dark, we wanted to have a government in place, first," he explained.

"I understand, can you meet us here on Taris," Anakin asked.

"Taris is just a graveyard," Master Kota replied…and then he saw the perfection of hiding on Taris. "I will join you as soon as I can."

"Can you bring a freighter, I'm afraid I ran into a group of bounty hunters, and will need to repair my freighter," Anakin said, sheepishly.

"I will do what I can," he replied. "I will get the message out to the stragglers, we must do what we can to save both the Republic and the Jedi," Master Kota said.

"I agree, he will pay for what he has done," Anakin said through a clenched jaw. "My men are en route to Tattooine," he revealed.

"You can't mean that you trust him, it was the Clones that marched upon the Temple."

"Not my Clones," Anakin said, leaving no room for discussion.

"Kota out," he replied, ending the transmission. Taris would be a good base for the Jedi, give them enough time to regroup so that they could mount some kind of attack against Sidious. The baby is his arms starting crying as he heard a familiar voice.

"Kota?" he turned and saw a familiar Jedi.

"Sha Koon?" he asked, "How ever did you survive?" She shook her head not saying a word.

"Now is not the time, we must get out of here," she replied.

"Yes, we are headed to Taris," he said, and she took the baby from his arms, comforting the child.

"You miss your mother, little one," she asked. "You must go on; I will have to reconfigure the signal so that no Jedi are caught unaware by the signal, walking into a trap." Master Kota nodded.

"May the Force be with you," he said.

She nodded and disappeared, using her telepathy to influence the minds of those around her, manipulating them so that they didn't see her. She saw the death and decay of her home. She hoped her uncle had survived. She remembered his words to her; those that went looking for trouble should not be surprised when trouble found them. Yes, she was looking for trouble to save the Jedi she would do what she had to. It was still hard to believe that their Chancellor and their Clones had turned on them. She was able to evade the ninja troopers by using her telepathic abilities, but she could not hope that would work forever. If she had tried a mind trick it would have never worked, but this was stronger. She sent the remaining Jedi away, giving them the order to hide, to not draw attention to themselves but to head to Taris, satisfied with her work she fled to a cruiser, traveling as a refugee.

Senator Bail Organa had done what he could for the Jedi, picking up whatever stragglers he could find and sending them to Alderaan. He had found Jedi Master Bant Eerin who had been in the medical wing when the attack came down. Bail had been lucky to find her, since she was the only remaining healer after Barriss joined the dark side. He found a Knight who had run, not looking back as Bail pulled up to offer assistance. Bail hadn't been able to place him initially but he had introduced himself as Jedi Knight Kazdan Paratus, he had been shaking and Bail had been astounded. He had never seen such fear in a Jedi, but then maybe they Jedi he hung around were different than this young Knight. Perhaps, Bail had been spoilt by hanging around the likes of Ahsoka, Anakin, Obi-Wan, Yoda, and Master Plo. Still, he did as he had done with the other Jedi, offered them passage to Alderaan, Alderaan was a peaceful planet, and they could not hope that he was hiding them. If Bail had to guess, he would say he had offered refuge to about twenty Jedi including Masters, Knights, and Padawans. Afterwards, Bail had used a secure channel and contacted the Clone. "You need to follow Order Five," he told them. "The Chancellor is not acting sane, I believe he is intent on destroying the Republic," he told them, and did what he could to preserve both the Jedi and the Republic.

He hoped that what he was doing would not disrupt the tentative peace he had at home, that his newly adopted daughter would not pay for his compassion. Winter, he thought of the child, just a few months old with short straight white hair. He would not cause her harm in any way; he could not love her move if she had been blood of his blood and flesh of his flesh. He yearned to return to both her and his wife, Breha, but he could not, not while the Republic was in chaos.

On many distance worlds, Clone Commanders had already received Order Sixty Six and they backed away, aimed their blasters on their Jedi Generals and watched them fall. Some felt the guilt well up in them, and some didn't, they understood that they were just doing their duty, they were following orders and the Jedi were now a threat to the Republic.

On Tattooine, Captain Rex left Kix and Ahsoka where they were as they were greeted by members of the 212nd, as they drew nearer both his and Commander Cody's beacon went off. They received the same message. Execute Order Sixty-Six. Captain Rex had already known that even if the Jedi were traitors Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Ahsoka were not. The two commanders' eyes met across the field, their helmets at their side. Captain Rex shook his head, and Commander Cody came to meet him.

"It's your call, Captain," the Commander told him. "If we don't do this, then we will become traitors the same as the Jedi," Cody told him.

"I once thought that being a good soldier simply meant following Orders, but we are not droids, we were not programmed, we all have a choice," he said, and all the men began listening to him, including Dogma and Hardcase, who Captain Rex gave a small nod, welcoming them back, now was not the time to catch up. "We are not all just the DNA of bounty hunter Jango Fett, he may have been our host, and we may all be brothers but what about the brothers that don't share our DNA?" Captain Rex continued. "I won't hold it against any man who feels he has to leave, but I will not allow you to harm my brothers, the ones that have fought by our sides. How many times have Ahsoka and General Skywalker put their lives on the line for us, for our brothers? The Chancellor has not done anything to earn my trust other than being elected to the position, I don't know about you boys but that's not enough for me," he told them. "They don't treat us like numbers, but like men, like people, they look past the fact that we were bred in a laboratory and have let us into their lives, and for some into their hearts," Captain Rex noticed Echo and Fives narrowed eyes, but he didn't have time to explain right now. "I put my trust and my faith into them, not into the Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic, so each one of you has a choice to make, you can either stand with me, or leave."

"I'm with you, Captain," stated ARC trooper Fives.

"Me too, I'd rather not end up dead, and anyone opposing Skywalker will end up that way," ARC trooper Echo said with a hint of a smile.

"You know me," Jesse stated, "I'm with the team; I won't be fighting you guys on the other side of the battlefield."

"I welcome the fight, just as long as I'm on your side," Hardcase added.

"If you trust Skywalker, then so do I. Count me in," Dogma said steely.

"It's dangerous," Tup said, "But I'm with you, Captain," he told Rex.

"I'd rather not be against all of you, you can count on me," Appo added.

"Are you all crazy? We will be fighting our brothers, and the government," Vill stated. "I won't do it," he said, as his brothers raised their blasters. "Is this how it's going to be, you will kill me your own brother, for some…Jedi scum."

"Look shiny, I'm not sure you understand," Appo tried to reason with him.

"No, let him go, we must protect Senator Skywalker, I would imagine that the Chancellor would love to get his hand on them, and I for one won't let that happened. I'm going to tell you men, I'm scared, but I have never felt more like I was doing the right thing.

"That was brave," Commander Cody told him. "Alright, the 501st will stay here and watch over Skywalker while the 212nd will come with me, we have to find General Kenobi and make sure none of our wayward brothers gets to him. Come on, let's move out," he said, his eyes meeting Rex's. There was an unspoken bond between the two men. There were other Clones that followed Vill and Rex and Cody knew that the coming days would be hard ones, but there was always a way to use it to their advantage. Rex's eyes went to Ahsoka, and he found all his reasons not to accept her and her love had disappeared along with any loyalty to the Chancellor. He came up and stood beside her taking her hand as she watched over Padme. She looked at him questioning as she felt the change with him.

"Later, 'Soka," he told her as he stood behind her, pulling her to him, enjoying the warmth of her young body. He was twenty-four if you counted the rapid aging of his body, Ahsoka was sixteen, the two years they had been together in this war had aged her, and yet she was so precious and dear to him. They had shared a lot, and there was a lot they still had to share.

"You are distracting me,"she told him. Rex only smiled, as he saw the men's gazes on them. He knew that soon they would corner him and he would have to explain what was between him and 'Soka.

"I want you to know that I will always be here to protect you, to desire you, to love you," he said to her. She glared at him, not the reaction he had counted on.

"Rex, you are doing this now? Now?" she asked, her voice reaching a higher pitch. "While Padme's in labor and I have to use the Force to make it painless. You can't be doing this now?" she said to him. Rex just smiled and stood there by her side, letting her get used to his presence.

"It's you and me, 'Soka, I'm not running from you anymore, if there's one thing I've learned from General Skywalker is that you can't wait for the best time to fall in love, it happens whether you want it to or not, you can't let war stand in your way, you have to take it when it's offered, and so I'm offering, if you will have me, 'Soka."

"I'm not doing this now," she said, looking away from him. "I have to help Padme," she repeated but she leaned against him anyway, telling him silently that she needed his presence.


	64. Chapter 64

Recuing the Duchess

Jedi Master, Obi Wan Kenobi, turned over his lightsaber to Bib Fortuna as he followed the Twi'lik to the Throne Room. Obi-Wan stood there and looked around, it wasn't much different from the last time he was here, yet everything felt different. There was something darker in the atmosphere. "Mighty Jabba," Obi-Wan spoke, bowing his head in a show of humility. "I am on an important mission from the Jedi Council," he said. "I am searching for the Duchess of Mandalore, Satine Kryze."

"I might know where you can find her," the droid translated. "Maybe not."

"I don't have time for games, Mighty Jabba. I understand that your power is great. And that your desires must be equally is great. Is there not anything I can do to appease you, Mighty Jabba," he said, with a knowing glance. "I will do whatever you ask to save the Duchess." Jabba laughed and had Master Windu brought forward. Obi-Wan's gaze was on the woman crawling at his feet. She looked at him, glassy eyed. She was dressed in a black slave outfit, her hair had been dyed black as well, but he would recognize Satine anyway.

"Satine!" he rushed to her. "It's me, Obi-Wan," he said, tilting her head up to meet his eyes. There seemed to be a fog inside of her, a poison. Obi-Wan tried to pull her to her feet, but noticed the collar at her neck. "What is the meaning of this?" he hissed.

"She. Is. Mine," came the dark voice and Obi-Wan's head shot up to look into eyes in which the irises were amber and the pupils were red. 'What is nine hells of Corellia?' Obi-Wan wondered. "You will not take her from me," he continued.

"Mace Windu?" Obi-Wan questioned, finally placing the Korun in front of him. "What happened to you?" he asked, confusion in his voice. This wasn't the Jedi Master he remembered. His skin was pale and dark at the same time, it was pasty and yet dark, sallow. He was dressed more expensive than any Jedi would ever dress, and that included his wayward padawan.

"Skywalker did this to me," he remarked, in a voice Obi-Wan didn't recognize.

"You are lost," Obi-Wan said. "You will release Satine into my custody," Obi-Wan said, it wasn't a question but an order, the order of a general to his men, an order that broached no argument, and yet, the Sith apprentice laughed.

"I'm not Skywalker; I won't follow your orders. I am your superior not the other way around."

"You are only a master of evil," Obi-Wan said, meeting Satine's eyes and trying to reassure her.

"You don't know the power of the Dark Side."

"The Dark Side surrounds us all, my dear friend. I don't know what you have against my apprentice, but don't allow those feeling of anger, of hate, of rage to turn you into a creature of darkness."

"You underestimate my power," Wrath says as both he and Obi-Wan had fallen into the rancor pit. Darth Wrath stretched out his hand and shocked everything in the room, cackling as he did so. Obi-Wan tried calming the rancor as he climbed up and out, and as Obi-Wan watched the creature attacked Mace and Obi-Wan heard screams whether they were the rancors or Mace's as he turns to Jabba.

"Satine will come with me," he said, calling his lightsaber to his hand, "Or I will go to the Hutt clan with word of your betrayal," he said, as he helped Satine to her feet.

"Obi?" she questioned as she reached into a small bag a brought her finger to her nose as she inhaled.

"Satine?" Obi-Wan questioned. "What is that?"

Satine smiled, "Do you want some, it makes us feel like Jedi," she told him.

"But Satine, I am a Jedi," he told her.

"Oh, I forgot," she giggled.

"Satine, is that spice?" he asked, taking the bag from her and looking at the powder.

"You have always been so serious," she replied mawking him.

"Satine, come with me," Obi-Wan said taking that hideous collar off of her. There had been a hut he had seen on the way in that he led her to, noting the presence of his Clones. "Cody what do you know about a spice addiction," he asked, before the pain hit him. It was as if a million voices had cried out and been silences. Something was wrong in the Force. "Anakin," he whispered, feeling for the bond that was normally between them, it seemed muted somehow. Oh, Anakin, he thought what have you done now. All went black. When he came to, he was surrounded by Satine, his men, Anakin was here.

"Master are you alright? Where's Padme?" he asked, as his bonds flared back to life. He had forgotten about muting them. Obi-Wan had been easier to find in the Force since he was a Jedi. Anakin turned to the man at his side. "Master, this is the Jedi Revan, Revan, my master Obi-Wan Kenobi."

"It's nice to meet you," Revan told him. "Can you walk?" he asked, and Obi-Wan nodded.

"What happened?" Obi-Wan asked as he leaned on Anakin for support as they followed the presence of his twins.

"The Chancellor attacked the Jedi Temple," Anakin revealed.

"How could he?" Obi-Wan asked, looking back as Satine was led by Boil and Wedge.

"He marched upon the Temple and he slaughtered them, slaughtered us," Anakin said evenly. "Our home has been destroyed. Master Kota arrived on Taris, he is rebuilding there. We know Master Yoda is alive; we just have to gather everyone together. The Sith will not win, Master."

"Who's alive?" Obi-Wan asked.

"I believe Master Kota mentioned Masters Kit and Ti, and of course Master Plo is alive, I'm sure of it."

Obi-Wan's thoughts swam. "Once everyone arrives on Taris we will know more about the situation," Obi-Wan said. Anakin nodded. He saw the 501st make a wide berth letting them pass. He saw Owen and Beru and nodded at them though he didn't have time for them; he looked from Padme, to Kix, and Ahsoka. He knelt by her side, taking her hand with his mechanical one.

"How is she?" he asked, looking curiously at Rex.

"She's dilated," Kix said. "We are lucky you arrived when you did. She refuses to have them without you," Kix said, with a chuckle.

"My love," Anakin said to her, as she tightened her grip on his fingers, within the next hours, Anakin became thankful that his mechanical hand didn't have any pain sensors on it.

"Where is Dooku?" Obi-Wan asked.

"When he heard she was in labor, he elected to stay on board," Tup told the General.

Anakin felt the circuits bending in his hand being crushed as Kix called out. "He's crowning, I see a head." Obi-Wan came to look after sending some of his man to check on the Count. The head seemed blonde from what he could tell. Tears filled the Jedi Master's eyes. In a way, these were his grandchildren.

"I'll watch him," Revan spoke up. "Come on, HK-47."

"Statement: Of Course, Master," he said, and Obi-Wan noticed the rather strange droid. He would deal with the Jedi and the droid later. Hours later, a baby's cry was heard throughout, with See Three-pio holding up the baby.

"It's a boy, oh bless the maker!" he cried, enthusiastically. Three-pio responded to Artoo. "Of course, I'm not going to drop him." Artoo beeped and whirled. "Because I'm programmed to handle humans you garbage chute," Three-pio insulted his friend as Tee Three whirled after Revan. Three-pio handed the boy to Anakin who leaned down so that Padme could see him. She smiled at him, and touched his face.

"Luke Obi-Wan Skywalker," Anakin said, and hoped they wouldn't crowd him, he had no idea how this many people could be standing around while his wife gave birth to his children. Anakin stared down at the perfect face, he hadn't opened his eyes yet, but he was so tiny. So perfect. He had been wrapped in a blue blanket, and Anakin couldn't take his eyes off of the perfect youngling, as tears filled Anakin's eyes. This was his life, his family, his men, his friends, and other than the destruction of the Jedi he wouldn't change a thing. "Hello Luke, my prince," he said, lost in the infants innocent eyes, this child, his child had some special charm, held his father in his gaze. "I'm your father," came the choked words from the Hero with No fear. "Master?" he called and Obi-Wan reached his side.

Obi-Wan looked down at the small child, Anakin's son, Anakin and Padme's son, and he could feel the Force within the child shining brighter than Tattooine's twin sons. Did this life make up for…and Obi-Wan again felt the despair of the Jedi within the hope of the younglings. Something strange happen, it was as if he could hear Luke's voice in his head. There was no way that that child only minutes old could be reaching into the Force like that. But he felt the warm words, incoherent as they were, baby babble, he would call it, as Luke reached out to him, forming a bond immediately. And Anakin smiled a proud look on his face as he too had felt it. Minutes later, Luke's sister was born as dark as he was blonde, and there were fingers missing from Anakin's mechanical hand, as Leia was handed to Padme.

"Leia Amidala Skywalker," Padme said weakly, and handing Luke to Obi-Wan, Anakin leapt into action.

"Alright men, we need to get my family to a medical facility, I don't know why this wasn't done sooner," he said, and then shrugged it off. "And there are way too many of you, I need you to get out of uniform and dress as civilians, this many Clones on this planet is going to attract attention."

"Right away, sir," Rex said. "Alright, you heard the General, let's get moving."

Once Padme, Leia, and Luke were checked out and given a clean bill of health, Satine was checked in to wean her off the spice. Luckily, she didn't remember much of what had happened to her. Anakin didn't have time to consider his fallen Jedi brethren, there were too many people counting on him now. There were too many Clone Troopers here, and they would surely draw notice. He wondered if they could hide safely on Taris of if he should spread them out. Torrent Company was his and would stay with him. He was glad they had changed clothes that would help some, he just hoped that the citizens would think they were all the same man, and not Clones. Anakin had to get to Watto's and repair his mechanical arm that Padme had destroyed during the birth of the twins. He couldn't put Owen and Beru in danger either. Anakin looked down at his twins. His prince. His Princess. His twins. The Skywalker twins, he thought with pride.

"Owen, I want to thank you," he said as he saw the older man.

"Anakin Skywalker," the man said to him. "I appreciate what you have done for me, what you have done for my mother."

"You never contacted us after we gave you Three-pio," Owen said slowly. "You didn't send us a message, not a word, not to ask about Dad."

"I apologize for my actions, Owen, but I was trying to win a war here. There were planets at stake, lives."

"Oh, yes, of course, they were more important than ours, than Mom's."

"If I could have stopped her death, I would have. Don't you think I live in constant dread knowing it could happen again," Anakin said through clenched teeth. "Owen let's not fight. I have just become a father, and I don't want anything to tarnish this, Force, it's a new day and none of us have slept," he said, glad that the twins had been born the following day and not on the day the Jedi died.

"The Jedi are now enemies of the Empire," Owen told him. Anakin blinked, Empire. What was he talking about?

"The Jedi are heroes, are the servants of the Republic."

"Look, are you dense?" Owen asked. "The Republic doesn't exist, there's a new Order. And Jedi are traitors."

"The Republic will always exist," Anakin said, remembering words he had heard Padme speak, "so long as there are people that will fight for it. The Republic isn't a body of government but an idea, a dream that lives within us," he said.

"Look, I'm a simple man, I mind my own business and I won't have the Empire breathing down Beru's and my neck," he said, as he looked through the glass at the younglings. "Beru and I have always wanted younglings," he said. "We didn't dream of saving the galaxy, or of traveling, just a family," he said as he walked away. Anakin looked after him, and he understood, Owen didn't care about the adventure but he envied him for his children. He hoped that someday Owen and Beru would have their own. He wished them only good will. Anakin was tired and he was drawing on his reserved Force energy as he watched Padme sleep.

"Rex, I want you to gather Torrent Company together, you will remain with me as long as you serve. I won't see a repeat of the Krell incident," he told his Captain.

"Yes, sir."

"Send Dogma and Jesse with me, I have a trip to make. Station troopers here and with the Lars," he told him. "What is it, Rex?" he asked, noticing the look on his Captain's face.

"I heard what you and the moisture farmer were talking about," Captain Rex revealed. "He's right; we were given an Order to eliminate all Jedi." Anakin stared at him and sucked in a breathe.

"You want to kill me?" Anakin asked, looking into Rex's eyes, wondering what the Trooper would do.

"It's an Order," Rex told him, "But one that Torrent Company has no intent on following, I can't betray you, and neither can anyone still here."

"Who gave the Order?" Anakin asked.

"The Supreme Chancellor."

"So you are just as much a traitor as I am then?"

"Sir, once it's found out. Yes. From my information only the 212nd and the 104th disobeyed the Order. Of course later we got the Order from Senator Organa that the Chancellor wasn't to be trusted. We were bred to be good soldiers, but being a good soldier is more than simply following Orders."

"I want you to tell the men, and this goes for you to, I don't hold no grudged if any man doesn't want to be here, after all," he said with a bitter laugh, "the war's over."

"I am your man for life, General," Captain Rex swore and Anakin envloloped him in an awkward hug.

"It's good to have men like you," Anakin replied.

"I'll just go get Dogma and Jesse," Rex said. Things were changing and quickly, so fast Rex didn't know if he could keep up.


	65. Beginnings of the Rebellion

Beginnings of a Rebellion

In the weeks that followed Anakin, Padme and the twins moved into a spare bedroom at the Lars. Anakin had been told that it had belonged to Owen, and that Owen and Beru had moved into his father's bedroom so Anakin, Padme and the twins in their basinets moved into Owen's old room. All their baby things had been left on Naboo. Beru generously helped Padme and Anakin with the twins, though it was obvious she preferred Luke.

Anakin was feeding Leia while Padme was sleeping when a call came through. "Master Skywalker, it's Senator Organa, can I please speak to Padme?" he asked. Anakin looked up as Artoo came and he listened to the message. He replied instantly.

"Viceroy, my wife is sleeping, perhaps I can help." Anakin watched as his daughter seemed to look up with interest.

"Any Jedi is to be turned in on sight, you had better be cautious."

"Be mindful," Anakin said with a chuckle. "Tell me Viceroy what is happening."

"The Empire...If we don't move now then the Republic won't have a fighting chance, we need to establish the Republic, and allow people to know they still have an option, they don't have to be in the Empire," Anakin agreed.

"What of my Troopers, are they wanted men?"

"Not that I've heard of. There are a few Senators that will join me but they want to talk to Senator Skywalker first…in person." Anakin frowned, it sounded like a ploy, Anakin might not be a politician but he was a General, and he knew war strategies.

"I don't think that's a good idea. Not without guards. I don't want anything to happen to my wife, our twins were born in the last week," Anakin said. "This here is Leia Amidala Skywalker, Leia say hello to Viceroy Senator Bail Organa," Anakin said, and she seemed to smile.

"I'll talk to them, perhaps we should travel."

"Padme and the twins cannot travel yet, it's not safe, and we are too recognizable. I would think that you would get yourself and any Senators that want to help with the Resurrection of the Republic would get themselves to Taris. Since the Sith believe it was destroyed during the Jedi Civil War, it is the last place they will look. We will be able to operate from them for a while at least."

"I will see what I can do, my presence will be noticed," Bail said with a frown as he ended the transmission. Anakin changed Leia's diaper patiently, she was the only youngling Anakin had ever seen to hold herself with regal baring, and she did not like a soiled diaper, she would scream for hours, Anakin had seen. Luke had Padme's temperament and he only screamed when Leia did, unfortunately she was as temperamental as Anakin had been. Obi-Wan had found many abandoned homes on the Dune Sea and that was where Obi-Wan, Satine, Ahsoka and the Clones stayed. Revan stayed on the _Hawk_. Anakin turned to see Beru carrying Luke.

"Hello Anakin," she said. "I bet you were much like this as a youngling," she said, gesturing down to Luke. Anakin smiled.

"You would be wrong," he said, "I was more like Leia." Anakin smiled as he looked down at his children. "I want to thank you for everything you have done for us. We won't be putting you in danger much longer, I hate that it has been necessary."

"Oh, what is family for?" she replied as she sang to Luke. Padme got up and Beru handed Luke to her.

"I can't believe you got Leia quiet," Padme remarked.

"What can I say," Anakin said as he reached his wife's side, their infant children in their arms "I have a father's touch," he said as his lips met hers. "And a husband's touch." Since arriving on Tattooine, Anakin had shed his black and brown Jedi garb in favor of the light-sandy colored garbs he used to wear; he always had hated the color of sand, but to live her it was a necessity. "Angel, I've got to go to work," he told her. "The Republic will need some kind of income to get its feet wet," Anakin told her.

"Not again, you aren't going to podrace are you?"

"It's the quickest way to make money, and it's not like I'm not experienced," he told her. "Even on Coruscent I used to race, and I taught Ahsoka," he replied. "Master Obi-Wan used to have to go find me. True, I haven't done it much since the war, but it's like driving a landspeeder," he told her. "Besides I won't come in first."

"Anakin, what if you are recognized," she asked.

"I'm not using my name, I'm just Tan Skye," he told her. "The pay is much better than working with Watto, I have the feeling he's cheating me," Anakin said with a frown, "He knows I can fix anything."

"What if you don't come back, Anakin, would you leave me a widow, to look after the twins on my own?" Anakin sighed as he turned back to her, giving her a familiar wolfish smile.

"You know I can't die until I complete my destiny, and the Sith are still here. I have to destroy the Sith before I can die," he told her and kissed her. "Besides, now I have even more of a reason to come back to you," he told her, as he passed Leia to her. He leaned down and looked at Leia. "Princess, I will be back as soon as I can," he told her. "I love all three of you," he said, as he turned to Luke. "Be good for your mother, Prince," he told him. He sent love and reassurance before he left, knowing that Padme was a little ticked at him. He grabbed his toolbox and started fixing the moisture vapors, it was the best he could do for Owen under the circumstances. He hated leaving Padme and the younglings, but he had to. If he didn't do something the Empire would be coming for him, and the best defense, he always said, was a good offence. Except when he waited to put up the deflector shields, he amended. He hoped Owen would be pleased.

On his way to Mos Eisley he passed the Dune Sea and went into the hut that Ahsoka and Obi-Wan were sharing with Satine. She looked like she had been crying again. She slept alone again. She had been sleeping alone since Obi-Wan rescued her from that nightmare. Anakin had never told anyone but his mother used to be a pleasure slave for Graduella the Hutt. She had been bought by Gradualla after Anakin had been born, when he was two he thought. Anakin's early life had been a blue until he had come to Tattooine, he remembered upon arrival how some slave had thought they could run away and had been blasted into a million pieces, and then he remembered podracing and Padme, Obi-Wan, and Qui-Gon. The rest of his childhood had been spent in the Jedi Temple. Anakin wanted better than that for his twins. There would be no slavery in his younglings' lives if he had anything to say about it. He remembered his promise to free the slaves and knew that he hadn't even freed his mother, Qui-Gon had tried, by the Force he had tried, and Qui-Gon was his father.

"Hello Master," he said, with a mock bow, he deepened the bow, "Duchess of Mandalore," he said. For the first time he noticed that he hair was darker than he had ever seen it. She was covered in an old blanket, and she didn't meet his eyes. "Where is my padawan?" he asked. Anakin could imagine what had taken place at Jabba's Palace, and he felt for her.

"She went into town to get some tea and some things for Satine," he said. Anakin nodded, Ahsoka had a good heart. She had learned many things, just as he had. In truth, she probably was ready to take the Trials, but how could that happen now? Anakin hadn't wanted her to be knighted, not really, he wanted her to succeed, but he had wanted her where he could keep an eye on her, to protect her from harm and danger. He had been about to recommend her before her trial…and the world went to the Sith, literally. Anakin sighed as he spoke in low tones to Obi-Wan. "What does she remember?" Anakin asked.

"She claims nothing," Obi-Wan told him.

"But you don't believe her," Anakin finished his thought.

"I would like to but she cries, and she barely lets me near her. The last time I saw her she confessed how she felt and now…and the spice Anakin. I know it's been known to cause short-term memory loss, but I think that was her intent," he told Anakin.

"You could use the Force," Anakin told him, "to suppress the memories."

"I can't Anakin, I just can't do that to her. Could you, Anakin, could you do that to Padme?" Obi-Wan asked, and Anakin knew he had suffered nearly as much as the Duchess. Anakin didn't know what he would have done if it had been Padme. It was a good thing Jabba and Wrath hadn't had Padme, Anakin didn't know if he would have been able to act as calm as Obi-Wan, as calm as a Jedi should. The galaxy had never seen an angry Jedi husband before.

"I don't know, Master. I know I would do anything to protect Padme from harm," Anakin told his former master. "I wish I could give you a better answer." Anakin used the Force to float a fruit to him. Anakin had a special affinity for fruit. He didn't know what he would do if he was ever in a situation where he couldn't eat fruit but was forced to rely on nutrient supplements. Anakin shook the thought from his head as he bit in. "We are going to have to make some hard decisions soon, Obi-Wan," Anakin told him. "The Empire has declared that the Jedi tried to assassinate him, and all Jedi are traitors of his Empire."

"His empire?" Obi-Wan repeated. Obi-Wan wished he could return to the Temple but right now it was more important to come up with a plan, all the Jedi that had lost their lives, one of these days he would get his revenge. Obi-Wan knew that a Jedi was not to seek vengeance, but the death of so many of his kind could not be let go, not this time. If he had known, he would have gone back and made sure Wrath was dead, he would have found out then, but alas, it was not to be.

Captain Rex sat in the hut he was sharing with Fives and Echo, playing cards.

"So Captain," Fives intoned as he lost another hand to the captain and they started another round. "What is going on between you and the Commander?"

"Pardon?" Rex asked as he drew a couple of cards.

"Since when do you make jokes before a mission?" asked Echo.

"I made a joke, it's not a big deal," Rex replied.

"Come on," Fives said, "Spill it, Captain."

"The Commander and I…"

"You mean Ahsoka," Echo asked. "I heard you call her Ahsoka earlier, didn't we Fives?"

"That's right, Echo."

"We may have developed feelings for one another," Rex finished.

"Did I hear him right, Echo? The Captain has feelings?" he asked and Rex playfully punched him in the arm.

"Lay off, I'm still your superior officer," he told them.

"One more think Captain," Echo said with a grin, "Should we start calling you Captain Tano," he said with a smile.

"Oh just shove it."

"I hope the General finds a cure soon, or that will cut your romance short," Fives added.

"There is that," Rex said solemnly.

Obi-Wan watched as Anakin left heading to visit the Clones before stopping by town.

"Obi-Wan," Satine sniffled. "Can't I just have a little?" Obi-Wan sighed; he had thought the worse of her spice addiction was over. He reached into his robe and took out the pills that were supposed to wean her off the spice.

"Here Satine take one of these," he said getting her a glass of water. "It will make you feel better," he said. Satine glared at him.

"What do you know, you left me there," she said.

"Satine, I thought you had died…" he tried to explain.

"I wish I had," she said as she took the pill and the water.

"Captain Rex, I've heard a rumor that there is something going on between you and Snips."

"Yes, General," Captain Rex answered formally.

"You are a good man, Rex, and I support you," he said surprising all the troopers.

"General?" Captain Rex questioned.

"Ahsoka…is spirited, she will bring out your sense of humor and I know you have one Captain," Anakin said as he left, leaving the Clones speechless as he headed toward the games. He checked on his podracer, wondering how much had really changed since he was nine. He updated some of the gears, and made sure his breaks still worked. Anakin looked around the track checking for weak points. Anakin frowned as he felt the twins, what were they doing here? He turned to see Padme holding Luke and Ahsoka holding Leia. "What are you doing here?" Anakin asked.

"Leia," Padme said, "She wouldn't stop crying since you left," she said, and Anakin smiled down at her. "She's obviously a daddy's girl already," Padme said, as Anakin leaned down and kissed her.

"Does my Princess want to see Daddy race?" he asked, as he noticed how Luke's eyes took in the sights and sounds, emitting excitement through the Force. He sent love toward his twins as he jumped in the podracer and waited for the games to begin. Padme noticed a few of the men.

"Senator Skywalker," Jesse said, "We had to see what all the fuss was about and we always support our General, General Kenobi wanted to be here, but he's tending to other matters," Jesse explained as he and Hardcase turned toward the races.


	66. Chapter 66

The Podrace

Anakin Skywalker, the Chosen One, felt the Force surround him; flow through him, ever since the day Ahsoka hadn't left Anakin had felt his powers growing, like they had been on Mortis. He was afraid that his presence put everyone else in danger, if Sidious were to sense his power through the Force, if it were to lead him to his family, Anakin shook his head to clear his thoughts as he beckoned the Force allowing it to flow through him as he came in second in the race, and collected his prize, hearing the shouts from the crowds, not the least being Padme, Ahsoka, and his men who had shown up.

"One of these days, Obi-Wan is going to have to see me race," Anakin said as Padme passed Luke to Ahsoka. Anakin was glad he was able to fix his mechanical hand as Padme came running toward him. Anakin smiled and raced toward her, grabbing her around the waist and swinging her around as she latched her lips onto him. Anakin responded stroking her dark hair.

"You did it, Ani, you won. Now I can appreciate what your mother went through watching you race, at least you finish races this time."

"Hey, it wasn't my fault," Anakin protested. "You know Selbulba cheats, and I was just a kid, but I always saved the 'racer," Anakin told her. "And it was racing that allowed me to save the Queen of Naboo and win my own freedom," he said as he waited for his name to be called.

"And again Tan Skye comes in first runner up."

"That's my cue," he said as he collected his credits and went to a bank to transfer the credits. "Padme, contact the Viceroy and give him the account number. We need to get these Credits to the Republic, the Republic is going to have a long road ahead if we have any chance of defeating the Emperor," Anakin told her. "And we need to see what we can do reverse the anti-aging of the Clones," he told her.

"Why do I have a feeling that you are going to leave me again?" Padme asked, a frown tugging at her lips.

"Padme," he said solemnly. "It's not that I want to."

"No, you never want to," Padme said irritable.

"Padme, there are too many Jedi on Tattoine. We haven't done anything with the twins other than log their births, and even that makes me weary. Sidious is bound to be looking for me, and if he finds out, if he suspects that I have younglings, he will come after them." Anakin sighed, wondering how to explain this to her. Everyone existed within the Force, even those who could not use the Force, who could not feel it, but those that could use the Force; they could easily find other Force sensitives, by focusing on their midiclorians, their Force presence was so much stronger. If Anakin continued to gain power as he must and when the younglings learned how to harness the Force's power they too would become strong, and it would not do for Sidious to detect any of them. "The twins will need to be tested, but I believe that they are strong within the Force," Anakin continued, "And as such with so many Jedi around, they are in danger of being discovered. I will find a place where we can all go, a place strong within the Force, where our presences can remain hidden," he told her. "My midiclorian count is twenty seven thousand seven hundred," Anakin told her and wondered why they had never had this discussion before.

"Mine is forty seven hundred, Ani," Padme said trying to understand.

"If Sidious were to capture the twins Padme, he would teach them the Dark Side or use them against me," he told her, "And honestly Padme, you know of the darkness inside me," he said to her, looking into his brown eyes with his blue ones, "I cannot without a doubt say what I would do if he had them, I would do anything for you Padme, I would give up everything to protect them. Please, trust me," he said to her. Tears flowed down her cheeks.

"I do, Anakin," she said as she embraced him, feeling the goodness in him. "There is goodness in you. You are a good man," she said, and she knew he looked off into the distance, haunted by what he had done. "We can't stay here, if it bothers you we will all leave."

"It's too soon to travel with the twins. I've told you before, the Lars are good people," he said as they walked toward the Dune Sea, Ahsoka following behind them. He entered his Captain's tent, and Anakin could but notice how the Captain's eyes went to Ahsoka first. "Captain Rex, tell your men in the 501st they are going home. I believe that Sidious will be trying to shut down the Cloning facilities on Kamino," Anakin explained. "While we are there, we will find a cure," he told Rex. "After the men executing the Order so neatly, Sidious will have reason to fear it happening again. Inform Dogma and Tup they will be guarding my wife and younglings," Anakin told him.

"Yes, General Skywalker," he said and Anakin and Padme went to visit Obi-Wan but Anakin felt a presence behind him.

"You race well, my son," Revan said.

"You race?" Anakin asked, surprised.

"Swoop bikes, kid," Revan replied.

"This is my wife, Padme Amidala Skywalker," he introduced.

"I can see what you find charming about her," he replied.

"My padawan Ahsoka Tano, and our twins Leia Amidala and Luke Obi-Wan Skywalker," Anakin said, as Artoo beeped behind him.

"Of course you are coming," Anakin told his friend.

"They are your legacy, they are my legacy," Revan said, he had seen the younglings, and there were many conflicting futures surrounding the Skywalker family and his master and apprentice. Revan hadn't really spoken to the wife…but he had gone to the younglings and looked at them on many occasions, he knew he made the wife anxious but that couldn't be helped. "I will stay and guard the Skywalker twins," Revan said and Anakin nodded.

He was taking most of his men so that Tattooine wouldn't become a target and he would have to carry Ahsoka. He didn't know whether the 212nd would stay or join him, but Anakin knew that Obi-Wan had to help Satine, and he wouldn't leave her side, Anakin couldn't blame him, if it was Padme he wouldn't either. The combined presences of Obi-Wan, Revan, and the twins, not to mention he had no idea what Dooku would do would be enough without him and Ahsoka, he would have to keep the number of Jedi here low, to protect the Lars. He just hoped that Sidious was too busy getting his Empire on its feet that he wouldn't check the Force for strong presences.

Anakin felt the loss of the Jedi acutely, it hit him like a lightsaber in the gut and he was no less affected by it than any other Jedi, Anakin just hadn't had time to react between trying to get home to Padme, to the birth of both the twins and the Rebellion he hadn't had time. Ever since the day they had died, when he had nearly gone cationic from the loss of his connection to his friends, he hadn't had time to focus on it. Anakin had to think of those left, those that he had to stand up for, that he had to fight for. And he still had to find the Star Forge, he wondered if they could all hide on the Star Forge.

He had to find Master Plo and his Clones, the Clones needed to be able to coordinate so they would know what the Republic Clones were up to, it wasn't a large army especially compared to the army the Empire would have, but it was a start. They had lost many Jedi during the war, before the war the Jedi had been in the ten thousands now they were lucky if they had five thousand, yet it could have been worse, and they were not without hope.

"General Skywalker, I have a request," Anakin turned and saw his Clone Captain coming up to him.

"Go ahead, Rex," he said.

"After we find the cure, we should stop on Dantooine, I have an old friend there," Captain Rex explained.

"I'm sure that can be arranged, Rex," Anakin told him curious about his friend. "So long as it isn't a girlfriend, I won't have my padawan being hurt, is that understood?" Anakin told him.

"Oh, yes sir," Rex said as he went to inform his men. Anakin smiled after the Captain, they would be good for one another, he was glad his friends were getting together, so long as they were happy. He respected his captain and he loved Ahsoka like a little sister, an annoying little sister, he thought.

Anakin went in to visit with Satine and Obi-Wan. "Master, Duchess," he said with a bow, Obi-Wan had instilled manners in him since they had met. For once, Satine was calm, but Anakin sensed distress within his master. "Is there anything I can get you Duchess?"

"Master Maul mentioned you," she told him. Anakin's eyebrow shot up in a fair imitation of Obi-Wan's, over time Anakin had adopted many of Obi-Wan's mannerisms.

"He did, did he?" Anakin asked calmly, while inside he seethed at Obi-Wan's girlfriend referring to the Sith Lord as Master Maul.

"Yes, he spoke of how the darkness will consume you. The dark side always consumes," she said, "it destroys everything in touches."

"You remember my wife, Padme?" Anakin asked as she stepped inside. Satine gave a thin smile, as Padme came to sit by her side.

"Yes, I rememember you, you have the heart of a lioness," Satine told Padme as Ahsoka brought the twins inside.

"I don't think they like being separated from their parents," Skyguy," she said to him. Anakin reached out and took Leia into his arms. She was always the more fussy. He bounced her around, and he swore she smiled at him. He looked over at Luke and Ahsoka. "Quite your mind, my prince," Anakin said in a fair imitation of his master, and he earned a grin and wink form Ahsoka. "How's my girl?" he asked, "How's my princess," he said sitting down into a chair in Obi-Wan's room, as he blocked everyone from his awareness but his daughter. "How's daddy's princess," he cooed.

"Did you know that your mother used to be Queen of Naboo?" he asked her in a soft voice, the voice filled with happiness, Obi-Wan marveled at the change that came over his padawan when he was with his newborns. "Your parents met on this planet. Daddy lived here with your grandma," he said, recalling the images and showing them to her. She glowed with happiness, enjoying the pretty pitcures he put in her head. She liked to see the girl and the little boy. She saw the laser swords, and cooed at her father, she snuggled her head against him as best she could as she looked up into his eyes, still seeing the images and being lulled by his voice. Anakin presented the images to Luke as well, not wanting him to feel left out. Anakin would have held them both but he didn't feel right letting his mechanical hand touch either of them, even with the glove on.

"Daddy used to podrace and work in a droid shop before he left to become a Jedi," Anakin continued, feeling the peace, the balance that had eluded him for so long. Here surrounded by family and friends he felt at peace, a peace he knew, that wouldn't last if he couldn't put the Republic back together again. "When Daddy saw Mommy he knew that one day he would marry her, even though he was only a funny little boy," he said, as he projected the image of him and Padme, of when he had told her he would marry her and she had called him a funny little boy.

Padme turned from Satine to Anakin. "I couldn't believe that a boy had thought he would marry me," she said, remembering.

"You were only five years older than me," he told her.

"Ha! Besides that makes a lot of difference when you are nine and fourteen, not so much at twenty and twenty four."

"I was nineteen," Anakin replied, "A few weeks shy of my life day," he explained as Padme turned back to Satine.

"As I was saying, you will always have us, Satine. And we are going to need you, so you have to get better, we can't put the Republic back together without you. You have more friends with the Separtists than I do, and you can talk to them, so that we have a fighting chance against the Empire."

"I might could be of some assistance with that, Senator," Padme heard, and she turned to see Count Dooku at the door. "I was the leader of the CIS was I not. And I was right about the corruption within the Republic, and I intentionally subotoged any peace agreements between the CIS and the Republic, on the Chancellor's orders. You are going to need me now more than ever. I have every contact you could possibly need. I will do what I can to help you," he said, speaking in low tones.

"You are a traitor, why should I trust you?"

"Let's get one thing straight, I never betrayed your Republic, I was known as the enemy, I was never on your side, but I am now. Why not accept my offer in good faith?" he asked.

"You can't be trusted."

"Perhaps, when I was working with the Chancellor, why not let my actions from now on out speak for themselves" he asked as the droids and Revan followed at his heels.

"For the last time, I told you Dooku isn't to be trusted, I don't know how Master Ani puts up with him," Three-pio told his companion, he whirled and beeped.

"Query: Would you like me to dispatch the meatbag for you Master?"

"Dispatch, oh my, that is so messy. I would think not."

"Statement: It seems I was wrong in my assessment, not all droids are superior to meatbags."

"Meatbags? Why, I never!" Three-pio sounded enraged. Tee-Three whirled, and beeped. "I am not a piece of junk, you pile of unused parts!"

Revan stepped in to save all their sanities. "No, HK-47, that will not be nessassary, will it?" he asked Dooku who shook his head. "Now Tee-Three let's try not to upset the droid or we will all be dispatching one another." Tee-Three whirled again.

"Mind-wiped? I think not, Master Ani values my knowledge. I am a protocol droid, it is my primary function," he said. "I am fluent in over six billion forms of communication." Anakin sighed, taking his attention off Leia for the moment.

"Shut down, Three-pio," he told him.

"As you wish, Master Ani." Revan shared a look with him. Revan tried not to interfere but the argument between the droids would turn everyone insane.

"You too, Tee-Three," Revan said making a compromise, one of his droids for one of Anakin's.


	67. Another Mission

Another Mission

Obi-Wan watched as Anakin approached him with infant Leia in his arms. Anakin looked down at the infant smothering her with kisses and sending love to her through the Force. Anakin handed Leia to him. "No, Anakin, I can't…I don't know anything about younglings."

"Then its time you learn," Anakin told his former master as he instructed him on how to hold his daughter. "Leia, this is my master and your uncle, Obi-Wan, try not to give him a hard time Anakin said with an impish smile. "Look after them for me, Master?" Anakin asked.

"I will if I must," Obi-Wan said with a false show of boredom.

"Take care of yourself, old man," Anakin told him. Obi-Wan knew now that these children they were balance, they created balance within their father and one day that balance would spread to the galaxy, they made Anakin happy, happier than Obi-Wan had ever seen him, or at least since the beginning of the war, since he had started having nightmares about his mother. Obi-Wan wondered…an idea struck in his head as he remembered how passionate Satine had always been about younglings, their education, and their needs. He remembered that Satine had a nephew. Korkie was his name. Obi-Wan hoped he was still alive, Satine would need him. Obi-Wan would send Cody and some of the men to obtain him. Obi-Wan leaned close to Satine and she stiffened and started to draw away before seeing the youngling. A smile came to Satine's face as she looked down at the infant Leia, making her seem much younger. Anakin watched and then turned to Ahsoka who had Luke in her arms. Anakin took him from his padawan looking down at his face; there was something of Anakin within the infant boy. He held him with the Force so that he could touch his small face; ruffle the light patch of blonde hair on his head, without tainting him with his mechanical hand. The boy seemed to smile. "Luke, my prince, I will always love and protect you," he said softly, "Look after your mother and sister for me," he said as he brought him close so that he could look at the infant eye to eye, "And try to keep Uncle Obi-Wan out of trouble," he said with a laugh, kissing the infant's head before floating him back into his arms. Anakin's son coed in his father's arms, and Anakin hated to leave his wife and twins but there was more at stake, his younglings' future along with the future of the Galaxy.

Anakin put infant Luke into Satine's arms. "Take care of my younglings," he told her as he turned to Padme, who stood, and walked outside with him. Tears filled her eyes as she met those blue orbs of her husbands. Eyes that held such meaning.

"Ani," she whispered and he held her, as she turned toward him burying herself in his sand-colored tunic. "I love you," she whispered looking up at her taller husband.

"I love you, angel. Don't worry," he told her, meeting his lips in a soft kiss, a kiss that conveyed not passion but love and tenderness. She knew his different kisses. She responded with urgency. "That's one way to get me to stay," he said with a wolfish grin. She swatted him playfully.

"Don't leave, Ani. Stay, stay here with me and the twins," she said and Anakin groaned.

"That's not fair, Padme. Aren't you the one who said duty comes first?"

"All's fair in love and war," she replied.

"And we are still at war, my love. I have a duty to you and our younglings to see that they don't grow up where they have to fear being hunted down just for sharing the same DNA as me, as their father it's my responsibility, I have to go," he told her, his eyes filling with moisture.

"Be safe my love, and don't try anything reckless, don't try to be a hero, promise me."

"I can't Padme, but I won't do anything to get myself killed, love. You know I follow the will of the Force and reckless is part of the man you married," he said with a smile. He held onto her, raising her hands to his lips and he kissed the sensitive palms and wrists, before kissing her lips again. She clung to him as a lifeline. "Look after the twins and Obi-Wan and his girlfriend, she's not as strong as you, my love. And she's been through a lot."

"You know I will,"

"Don't forget me," Anakin told her, releasing himself from her grip as he prepared to leave.

"Never," she called as she waved frantically, and Anakin found Ahsoka and his Captain. Some of the 212nd were coming with him, and some had been deployed on a special mission for Obi-Wan, only Boil was staying on Tattooine, which left a total of three clones, which would greatly reduce their chances in drawing notice.

"I'm sorry to interrupt General, but I must speak with you," one of the Clones said to Anakin.

"Yes, Dogma?" Anakin asked.

"I wanted to now, sir, that is General Skywalker if the reason I am staying behind is that you believe that is to say, you don't want a repeat of what happened to General Krell," Dogma asked. Anakin regarding him sternly.

"No, Dogma, I need some Clone Troopers to stay behind and look after my family, I never chose the same men to stay behind last time I chose Jesse and Boil, and Boil staying behind this time was Obi-Wan's idea," Anakin told him. "Sometimes it's good for a Trooper to stay behind, there are things you can learn from the locales," Anakin said with a smile. "Never get too caught up in the war that you forget what you are fighting for." Dogma nodded. He remembered how General Krell had called them by their numbers, as if they were just some experiment gone wrong, and he had never her Skywalker do so.

"Thank you, General." Dogma said and saluted before rejoining Echo. Anakin did trust his men, they were the smartest most loyal men in the galaxy and he would risk his life for any such man. He trusted Dogma as much as he trusted Jesse or Fives; he only left the men he trusted especially with his family. Anakin looked passed him at Revan.

"Take care of yourself, Anakin. Remember what I said about disguising your presence."

"Of course, Revan; I will see you when I return." Anakin marched away with his men, heading toward the landing bay he got into the military transport the Clones had brought with them, and set the course for Kamino. Anakin thought about the Krell incident and decided that he was going to give his men some piloting lessons. "Jesse, Fives," he said and they came up front. "Would you like to know how to pilot this thing?" Anakin asked. "This isn't like flying a starfighter, you know," Anakin said.

"You aren't serious, General?" Captain Rex asked. "Do you have any idea what happened on Umbrae?

"I read the report," Anakin replied, "And it seems Jesse and Fives would make fair pilots," Anakin said as he explained the controls and told them how to fly it. "Relax Rex, I have a fighter stimulation in the back," he replied with a laugh. "But it's easier to explain from here."

"I have faith in them," Ahsoka said and Rex smirked at her.

"Do you now?" he asked, pulling her closer to him. "And what about me? Do you have faith in me?" Captain Rex couldn't help but remember the mission with General Krell; he had never met a General who didn't at least listen to his advice. Fighting their own men, their own brothers, he didn't know if the memories would ever leave him. Anakin remembered his time on Zygerria where he had been forced to become a slave once again to protect Rex, Ahsoka, and Obi-Wan, nothing had hurt him as much as seeing his master broken. The man that had trained him, raised him, being beat as he had as a boy as his mother had. How many times had Anakin been a slave, in how many different ways? He had been born a slave, had been the Queen's slave, and the Queen had suggested that he was a slave to the Jedi, he knew one thing he would never be a slave to the Sith. The Queen had wanted him for himself, wanting him to betray Padme even if she had not known of her, everything had gone well until Ahsoka's collar had been activated, and Obi-Wan had been captured by the slavers, Anakin remembered how hard he had fought, how if he could have just reached his lightsaber, for it had not been the first time Anakin had felt the sting of the electo-whip, truly it did take a lot to knock him down and out and if memory served there had been a least ten electro-whip before he blacked out. Anakin wasn't sure why the memory seemed stronger now, was it because of the assault on the Temple? Anakin couldn't bear to think of the assault on his home. He remembered entering the Temple before his tenth birthday…Anakin shook his head clearing the memories as he set up the flight stimulations as he checked their progress, they were doing rather well, he thought.

"Again," Jesse said with a laugh. Anakin left Ahsoka in charge as he looked out at space.


	68. Chapter 68

Gaining Speed

Once Anakin had left, Padme dried her eyes and composed herself, looking after the retreating form of her husband, "Force, look after him," she whispered in a semi-prayer. "Look after my husband, look after the father of my younglings," she whispered. She knew Anakin was the child of the Force and she could only hope it would look after him. Padme composed herself and entered the hut where Obi-Wan, Satine, Dooku, Revan, Dogma, Echo, and Boil were seated in different civilian clothes. Padme went over to Satine and took Luke from her. She wanted to look upon miniature Anakin. Leia cried and fussed in Obi-Wan's arms as Obi-Wan looked helplessly at Padme.

"She's mad because Anakin left," Padme said, "I can easily empathize with her," she said.

"The youngling is having a temper tantrum, silence her please," Tyrone Dooku.

"You don't like younglings, then," Revan added as Dogma, Boil, and Echo stood, their card game forgotten. They had come in to General Kenobi's tent to keep an eye on the action while they passed the time. Boil had suggested they head to town and visit the cantina, and they would once they figured out what was going on.

"No one threatens General Skywalker's younglings," Echo said.

"Look, I have no intention of harming the screaming brat, I would just like some peace and quiet, just because Skywalker left is no reason for a tantrum, younglings in the Temple would learn otherwise," he said.

"My daughter is not a brat!" Padme flared, "And she is not being raised at the Temple because your master attacked it! You and he have attempted to destroy the Jedi in this war, and I will not let my youngling be next!"

"Easy Senator," Revan said. "Here let me hold her," he said. "When I left my time, I was a father; I had seen a holo of my wife and child before I went to face the Emperor." The screaming had upset Leia even more as her little face turned red as she screamed with them. Revan took Leia from her mother and held her, and rocked her, sending waves of calm from the Force to her. Eventually, she fell asleep, and Revan continued to hold the young girl telling her of his adventure.

Tyrone Dooku turned to Padme, "I apologize for my outburst, Senator Skywalker."

"And?"

"For what?" he asked

"How about trying to have me assassinated, starting the Clone Wars?"

"I am proud neither of what I have done nor of what I am doing, but it seems you need proof I'm on your side, set me up with a holoconfrence and I will prove it."

"Follow me," Padme said. Echo and Dogma followed Senator Skywalker with a sigh as they put on their cloaks and followed her. Echo put on an eye patch to give himself a different look than his brothers' while outdoors.

Boil turned to Obi-Wan, "Master Kenobi, would you like to come to the cantina with me," he asked.

"I would love to but it seems if I'm not cleaning up after Anakin's mess…I'm cleaning up after Anakin's mess," he said shaking his head at the younglings.

"Go on Carth…Obi-Wan," Revan said, he was so much like Carth, that Revan had momentarily forgot who he was talking to, not that they looked the same, but they had the same loyalty, the same sense of humor. "Take a break," Revan urged, "You could use one, I can look after both the younglings and your girlfriend," he said. "Besides I have Tee-Three and HK-47 to help."

"I don't trust your droid," Obi-Wan said.

"I built him," Revan told him.

"Like Anakin, but Three-poi's never seemed as eager to kill anyone," Obi-Wan said, as he looked at the shut down Three-poi, "though he may make one want to kill themselves," Obi-Wan said with a chuckle, "I wonder what the twins will build," he said to himself. "Alright, he's a comlink, com me if anything goes wrong," he said, as he turned to Satine. "Will you be alright?" he asked her.

"As long as I can watch the babies," she said as she watched him, her eyes hungry. Obi-Wan made sure he had the spice on him so she couldn't get to it, he was afraid she would get some while he was gone.

"Revan, do me a favor and keep an eye on Satine," he said and Revan nodded, he had recognized the signs but hadn't commented on it yet. Obi-Wan bent down and kissed her head, and felt her stiffen. Obi-Wan sighed as he remembered a time when she had melted in his embrace. "Come on, Boil, let's get some water," he said, "It's bound to cost a fortune here," Obi-Wan added as he walked with Boil to the cantina.

"It's strange, General, being out of uniform," Boil said to his general.

"Anakin was right, all the uniforms will draw too many eyes on Tattooine, and we don't need the Empire to discover us too soon. As soon as we can we will get off this dustball," Obi-Wan told him.

"Thank the Force," Boil added as he sat down at the bar, looking around and the many bare women in the bar.

"Mos Eisley spaceport: You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. We must be cautious."

"Let's just get a drink, General," Boil said as he turned to the bartender, it was a familiar face, his face.

"Boil?" he heard a shocked voice. "It's me Waxer."

"Waxer?" Obi-Wan asked, "We thought you had died," he said, a smile flowing across his face.

"So did I," Waxer said. "After what happened on Umbrae, I decided to come here, get out of the war, I want you to know General, that I would never fire on my own men, I couldn't do it anymore, was haunted by the thoughts of it happening again. How's Captain Rex doing with it?" he asked. "Couldn't have been easy for him, at least he discovered it in time. I know he received the same order I did."

"My deepest apologies, Waxer," Obi-Wan said, "I hope when we leave this planet you will come with us," Obi-Wan told him.

"We'll talk about it," Waxer said. "it's no wonder I've been getting reports of being seen," he said looking at Boil. "I have missed you guys," he said looking over their shoulder. "Wrenga," he said, "My brothers have come all the way to Tattooine to visit, I'm taking a break to catch up," he said as he grabbed a few bottles and walked with them.

Meanwhile, Count Dooku had contacted the Sepratists.

"Hello, Senators," he said warmly. "With me is Senator Skywalker, you all know her as Senator Amidala from the Former Republic, with the destruction of General Grevious and with the formation of the Empire, there are many in the Republic including Jedi who have decided to join us in our cause, now that our cause has proved true. As I have been saying, the Republic was corrupt, it has become an Empire, and if we don't act now then all of us will see our lives end, we must offer opposition and we must offer it now."

"Were the Jedi not the enemy?" a Senator asked.

"No," Padme said, "We have all been deceived by Chancellor…now Emperor Palpatine and I believe that we can bind together and save the galaxy by working together. The values of the Jedi are sacred. My husband is a Jedi, the Jedi would never attack, they must use their powers to defend."

"You can stand there and say that your husband hasn't attacked."

"Of course he attacked but with the ideals of saving lives, you will have to get to know Anakin," Padme said.

"We are offering full pardons to any Jedi who joins us and any crimes they may have committed to be pardoned," Count Dooku said. "We shall put it to a vote."

"I say we hold this on a case by case basis, but if Count Dooku supports him, so will I." The Senate voted on pardoned Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Ahsoka and would debate the others later.

"Thank you, Count Dooku."

"You may call me Tyrone," Dooku said, "It was once my name."

"Alright, Tyrone, thank you for your help," she said. "Perhaps, Anakin is right about you."

"Perhaps," Tyrone said.


	69. Home on Kamino

Home on Kamino

"We're coming upon, Kamino, men we're going home," Anakin called, as the clones finished changing out of their civvies and back into their uniforms. "Let's hope the new Emperor hasn't got to the Kaminas," Anakin said. "Captain Rex, you are in charge of getting as much armor and weapons as possible, the rest of you will go with him," Anakin stated. "Snips and I are going to get your DNA back so the Emperor can't use it against us, and figure out if there's a cure," he said.

"Be careful, Commander," Anakin heard Captain Rex say. He excused himself and gave them some time alone. He did a quick search on the HoloNet for what was going on in the Empire.

Jedi were traitors, the bounty on his head was higher than any other, and 'He should be grateful' he figured. The Emperor obviously wanted him. Dead or alive, he read. Over a million credits. He had a higher bounty than either Ahsoka or Obi-Wan. The Clones were being reformed and were under the command of Admiral Tarkin. Anakin's fist clenched as he thought of how the man had tried to have Ahsoka executed.

Padme was also a wanted woman, as were many of her fellow Senators, Anakin sighed this wasn't good, not good at all. The Jedi Order had gone done from hundreds of thousands to around five thousand. All they had were three battalions, they had to get the words out so that they could get more recruits, and their Clone Troopers would not be enough to fight the Emperor.

Anakin sighed as he went over war strategies in his head, he was afraid the odds were against them, but then again when had Anakin Skywalker ever listened to the odds. There were options; there was Master Dooku and his Separatists, who he had always thought was the enemy. It looked like Anakin had been wrong; the enemy was the one he had been trying so hard to protect. Anakin shook his head clearing it, it disturbed him to think that he had been trying to uphold ideals that had been torn down and he had fought on the side of the enemy. Anakin didn't see any indication of any change with Kamino so he had to assume they would be safe.

Anakin knew who could develop a cure for the Clones, but he was hesitant to contact her. She had developed a drug once and tested it on him, the Zone of Self-Containment; she had made it so Anakin hadn't cared about anything even Master Obi-Wan. Anakin shivered at the memory as he looked her up. It had been before the Clone Wars, before he had been reunited with Padme. He had been seventeen the last time he saw her, fleeing as his Master picked him up and carried his longer frame, still induced by the drug. He had spent a week in a med bay getting the drugs out of his system. Jenna Zam Arbor. He hadn't cared about escaping while he was under the influence, it was a time that Anakin didn't think about much, he had been a young padawan, and Anakin always took risks, but that time he couldn't care about anything, not Obi-Wan and not even his mother. Anakin knew she was the one that could save his Clones. Anakin had enjoyed the feelings and the perfect padawan had called him on it, Anakin thought with disdain.

It was looking like this would be another war, and one of these days he would have to face the Emperor, but that was something Anakin wasn't looking forward to, he didn't know how he would react when he came face to face with the man that had once been his friend, but whom he had grown increasingly suspicious of, and now his suspicions had proven correct. Anakin made a note to ask Master Dooku about her as he continued his research, he couldn't risk signing in with his code it would draw security to him since they could track him that way, so he used a general id, not his restricted id.

Meanwhile, Ahsoka and Rex were talking. "I will, Rex, and you can still call me Ahsoka," she said flashing him a smile. She sat beside him and held his hand. "I care about you, Rex, and I'm glad you care about me. We will still complete our mission."

"I wish…" Rex trailed off. "That things were different."

"They will be," Ahsoka told him. "Now go get your men, I'll wait here with Anakin," she told him. Captain Rex nodded, and started to leave before he looked at the sixteen year old Tortuga padawan, he slipped his arms around her waist as he pressed his lips briefly to hers.

"For luck," he said with a smile as he went to get his men, looking back over his shoulder at the padawan that he loved. He loved a Jedi, and he wondered how Senator Skywalker dealt with that, not that he would ever ask her, it wasn't proper protocol, but then neither was falling in love with a Jedi, they weren't supposed to love, and neither were clones.

Captain Rex went to Tan We to report, "The 501st for weapon and armor upgrades, sir," he told her. "Captain Rex reporting, sir," he said leading his men behind him as they went to the armory and took as much as they could, grenades, explosives, blasters, and armor. The newest armor just in case it was changed again. Captain Rex didn't know what the new Emperor had in mind. Jesse stopped by the barracks and watched the younger cadets training; he looked over at Fives and Hardcase.

"Doesn't seem like all that long ago that we were cadets and now we are soldiers trying to save the Republic."

"Won't be worth much it there aren't more than just soldiers and Jedi, all we know is war, we don't worry with the politics," added Hardcase.

"Come on," Jesse said as he entered. "Hello, I'm Jesse and this is Hardcase."

"What are we to do now that the war's over?" asked a cadet.

"It doesn't have to be," Hardcase added. "There's the Republic and the Empire, the choice is still yours," he said as they left careful not to say enough to be reported. Skywalker would need every Clone he could get. Hardcase and Jesse went into several rooms of cadets planting the idea of the Republic being separate from the Empire in their head.

Meanwhile, Anakin and Ahsoka were discussing the mission. "You are going to have to be stealthy, since the Jedi are now enemies we have to be subtle."

"You subtle?" Ahsoka asked.

"Yeah, I can do subtle," Anakin said.

"That's not what Master Kenobi says," Ahsoka teased as they slipped out the freighter. Anakin blocked his presence in the Force and Ahsoka did the same as they kept the master/padawan bond between them open. Anakin remembered a mission on Kamino when Ventress had attempted to steal the DNA and he had thwarted her. Anakin hated this feeling of doing exactly as she had done, but what was the alternatives, more Clones blindly serving the Emperor without the guidance of the Jedi, without the challenges of his men. Then there was the fate of the growth acceleration. It still galled Anakin that the Separatists had been right, the Republic had been corrupt, even as Anakin fought against the Separatists which had become synonymous in his mind with the Sith, Palpatine had been manipulating him, had been manipulating the Republic to turn itself into an Empire. How could Anakin had been so wrong? How could he have been so duped, as in tune with the Force as he always was, how could he have been so blinded?

Anakin and Ahsoka were able to sneak by the Genosians, and into the Clone tanks. Anakin watched the many tubes of future Clones. Ahsoka had never been this close to their actual lab; it was strange to think that once Rex had been in one of those.

"Master, I made a promise and I need you to help me keep it?" she whispered as Anakin searched for the DNA.

"What is it, Snips?" he asked opening and closing a drawer.

"I promised Ventress if she helped me, I would speak to the Republic."

"The Republic has become an Empire," he said, "Aha," he said grabbing the tube with the DNA. He looked around sadly, it was a shame that it had come to this, but it would get better, was he not the Chosen One? Had he not believed it to be a myth before Mortis? Anakin never was sure if he was what the Jedi had built him up to be. All he wanted was to serve something greater than himself, to save lives, to somehow make up for not being able to save his mother, to put the darkness that had been able to touch him behind him, to leave it in the past that still haunted him. Anakin wanted to be the best husband, father, and friend possible, he had always had a need to be great, something that many of the Jedi didn't understand. Anakin didn't know if it was because he had been a slave or just something inherent in him. "Alright, Snips," Anakin said with a sigh, "I will do what I can, I will speak up for her," he replied. She beamed and when Anakin turned around he saw Tan We.

"Master Skywalker, I know why you are here, and normally I would stop you." Ahsoka ignited his lightsabers.

"You can try," she said but Tan We didn't seem fazed.

"However you protected the Clones, you protected Kamino and for that I will let you take Jango's DNA and will help you this once. I knew you were here when I saw CT-5555," she told him. "You can take a few of our smaller freighters as well, but don't come back." Anakin nodded, as she left as quickly as she had come. Anakin took out his comlink.

"Let's move out," Anakin told his men as he gathered what was needed, storing all the ammunition, weapons and armor, and allowing Hardcase, Jesse, and Fives to fly the smaller freighter that they had given him.


	70. Chapter 70

Relocation

Anakin, Ahsoka and many of the men from the 501st and 212nd had been gone nearly a standard week, several of the men sneaking into other squadrons and planting the ideas to the Clone brothers that the Republic was still alive and it was the Republic that they had been bred to serve not the Empire. Their mission for the time being was just to get the word out and what better way to do that than to sneak into different squadrons and do just that. Anakin had also made a brief stop on Naboo to speak with his in-laws and grab some of the twins' things and things that he knew meant a lot to Padme.

He had given his in-laws a holo of Padme, himself, and the twins as proof she was alive. They worried about her, and he was doing all he could to soothe their worries although he knew they couldn't help but blame him, if it wasn't for him she could return to Naboo with the twins and be safe. He had spoken with Padme many times through a secure channel learning of what Padme and Master Dooku were accomplishing. He had promised Rex they would stop on Dantooine so that is what he would do. He was glad for the weapons, armor, and freighters; they would need them to fight the Empire. He would need to find Zam Arbor, but he didn't look forward to seeing her, not with what she had done to him before.

Anakin sighed as he spoke to Captain Rex, "Rex," he had said. "We have a good start," he told him, surveying the weapons and armor, he knew though that the men he recruited would have to be roughly the same size as the Troopers and though Anakin had been around the Clones for the last three years, he knew there would be men that would be a variety of sizes. "Master Dooku has created an Alliance with us, it just seems weird that they were right, Dooku might have been a Sith and evil, but the Republic was corrupt," Anakin said. Captain Rex knew he was right.

"This means we are going to be working with the Clankers, sir?"

"Yes, they will have to be reprogrammed, but that's a simple enough matter," Anakin said. "And the Jedi cannot remain on Taris with the increasing raghoul attacks, we cannot have survived the Sith only to lose to the raghouls," Anakin said with a frown. "When I first joined the Order I was nearly ten years old," Anakin remembered. "There were so many Jedi then, and the Force was lighter, I've always been plagued by nightmares, by dreams. A part of me was afraid of the Jedi," Anakin told his Captain. "I think I've always had nightmares of Sidious coming after me, and my powers." Ahsoka looked up at him reassuringly. "I still find it hard to believe he was manipulating me the entire time."

"He betrayed all of us, Master," Ahsoka said. "Not any of us suspected him, not even Master Yoda," she told him, trying to relieve his guilt. "It's because you are the Chosen One, he got close to you hoping to turn you to his side."

"Snips," Anakin said full of guilt, "I don't know what I would do if I was face to face with him," he said, looking from his padawan and his Clone Captain. "My trust in the Jedi had been shaken," he told her. "And he was my friend," Anakin stressed. "You know me Snips."

"I know that you are a good man, a wonderful Jedi, and that if it hadn't been for your training I wouldn't have survived," she told him. Anakin's face flushed under the praise. Anakin might have been arrogant in a way, but he was good enough to back it up, and he wasn't used to such praise. Anakin was glad it was only Snips and Rex that were talking to him. They were the only ones in the cockpit save Artoo.

"Snips, put in the coordinates for Dantooine, it seems our Captain has some contacts there," Anakin replied, waiting for Rex to elaborate, he looked anxious.

"General Skywalker, new Orders need to be written up for the Troopers, we feel better when we understand our orders, sir." Rex wondered how much about Cut he should reveal. Whenever they arrived on Dantooine they would find out anyway. It would be impossible to look upon Cut and not know who he was. "And I suggest a full pardon for any Clone Troopers who went MIA," Captain Rex said.

"I'm listening," Anakin said.

"I have a brother who lived on Saleucami, I have stayed in contact with him and he is now on Dantooine. I believe he might join us. He has a family," Rex informed him and Anakin's eyebrows shot up, and Anakin felt a pang for Padme, Luke and Leia. He missed them. They would be about a month old now, what had he missed. He knew as soon as they were old enough he would have to move them, it wasn't safe to draw attention to Tattooine, but the twins were still too young to move.

"So it seems it's not just the Jedi that want a family," Anakin said. "What about you, Rex, do you want a family?"

"I haven't really thought about it before, sir. I fight so that other people's families might be safe."

"Fair enough," Anakin told him. "Like you, I don't know what I would do in peace time, it's not just the Clones that were bred for war," Anakin said looking out the viewport, "After the Trade Federation attacked Naboo, the Jedi had started changing, thinking more like soldiers, becoming more military." Anakin heard a voice coming through his comm and answered it.

"Anakin," he heard the voice of Obi-Wan. "Your friend Revan has had a vision concerning you."

"How are Padme and the twins?" he asked and heard the gentle chuckle of his old master.

"They are growing like weeds. She's fine, and so am I thanks for asking," he said before continuing. "Do you trust this Revan?" Obi-Wan asked.

"I do, Obi-Wan, not that I'm always an excellent judge of character," he said, recalling their earlier discussion on the Chancellor. The Chancellor's a good man, he had said. Could he be any more blind? "Revan is my ancestor, I found him on Mustafar with his droid, HK-47, he was frozen in carbonate," Anakin explained.

"Revan says it would be unwise to attack Sidious until your son becomes of age, that any attack against Sidious without Luke's help will prove futile, and the Galaxy will suffer more with your death, and Anakin," Obi-Wan's voice caught, "He says without Luke's help you will die, that it's your destiny to combine your powers to save the Galaxy."

"But I'm the Chosen One!" Anakin protected. "If I can't defeat him, who can?"

"The combined effort of the Chosen One and the Son of Sons is the only way for him to be defeated."

"Obi-Wan, Luke is a baby, I can't leave the galaxy in darkness for at least fifteen years!" Anakin stated vehemently.

"I talked to this Revan; he says that it won't be left in darkness, to continue the work we are doing, that when the time is right you will know."

Anakin sighed Revan was even more cryptic than his master or any other Jedi, but he trusted him. He just wanted peace for his family, was it too much to ask that his twins not be raised in a galaxy at war? "Alright, but I won't stop fighting," Anakin said.

"I wouldn't dream of it. Revan also says that you have balance within you, that since both the Son, the Daughter, and the Father touched you that only you have the power to put the Galaxy in balance. That there is a force out there that only you can control."

"Did he get any more specific?" Anakin asked wearily.

"He told me it was something you would have to discover on your own," Obi-Wan relayed.

"Great, as if Mortis didn't haunt me enough," he muttered. "As if I could forget what the Son did to Ahsoka."

"What about what the Son did to you?" Obi-Wan asked quietly.

"What are you talking about?" Anakin asked, confused. He remembered saving Ahsoka and the next thing he knew he was on the _Twilight_.

"I don't know exactly what happened between you and the Son," Obi-Wan said. "I know that he did something to you, and you turned on me and we fought, we dueled. You told me," Obi-Wan shuddered at the memory, "That I wouldn't understand what you needed to do to End the war," he said. It had been Obi-Wan's worse nightmare since his master had died, something happening to Anakin, his apprentice, the man he raised turning on him.

"I apologize Master, I would never attack you, I am deeply sorry," Anakin said his voice filled with humility. Anakin didn't know if he truly believed he was the Chosen One, maybe it wasn't him, but his son. But then again, his father, Qui-Gon had believed. Anakin remembered his words on Mortis.

'You have grown strong and powerful, just as I imagined. Do you believe you are the Chosen One?'

'How can I know, for sure?' Anakin had asked.

'I can tell you what I believe: I believe you will bring balance to the Force. That you will face your demons and save the universe.'

Those words still haunted him, how could a man who he had known for such a short time, who knew how close to the Dark Side he had come have so much faith in him? The question still haunted Anakin. He hoped he could live up to his expectations.

"Anakin?" Obi-Wan's voice came back to the present.

"Obi-Wan, I want you to gather up everyone on Tattooine and head to Dantooine, it will not be safe for either us or my stepbrother for the Jedi and Clones to remain there, and we must relocate to Dantooine. I can feel that the Dark Side will be strong enough here to hide our presence," he said, not knowing where that had come from. The Force wanted him on Dantooine that much he was sure of. "Master…" Anakin hesitated, it had always been hard for him to share his feelings with Obi-Wan, "I've missed you on this mission," he finished and Obi-Wan smiled.

"Being around your younglings has been entertaining; Anakin, but I've missed you as well, my padawan." Anakin opened the bond between them and felt the love and friendship flow on both sides, he had never realized how deep Obi-Wan's feelings went for him, he had only hoped. "We will leave as soon as we can," Obi-Wan told him.

"How is Satine?"

"She's getting better. I'll be sending her nephew to you and her sister, look after them for me," Obi-Wan asked.

"You have my word, Obi-Wan, as a Jedi," he said solemnly. "You can trust me."

"With my life, padawan," Obi-Wan said. "May the Force be with you."

"And with you," Anakin said as he ended the transmission, hoping it wouldn't be long before they arrived on Dantooine.


	71. Clone Family

Clone Family

Captain Rex led Ahsoka Tano, Anakin Skywalker, and a handful of men toward the last known location of his brother, Cut and his family while Jesse and Commander Cody stayed behind clearing out the Jedi Enclave and various other settlements along Dantooine. Captain Rex took off his helmet and knocked on the door.

Cut Lawquane heard the knock at the door. He looked over at his wife and children. Once the way had come to their farm on Saleucami after Captain Rex had left the planet, Cut had taken his family away, so that the war could not touch him. This had been a desolate planet, though there was much in the way of farm life, he had planted and grew crops once again and he had animals once again, once in a while he would go to another planet and sell his crops. Dantooine had been a good world for farming, and his family had plenty of room to run around as long as they stayed away from the caves.

Since his was the only family here, he wasn't surprised when there was a knock on the door; only one man knew where he was. That man was his brother, Captain Rex of the 501st of Torrent Company. Cut hadn't worn military uniform in a long time, almost three years. He was dressed as always in the clothes of the farmer. Cut wasn't surprised when standing at the door were two Jedi and his brother, Rex, in uniform, his helmet in his hand. The Jedi, however, looked surprised.

Cut was the first one to speak, "So I am to be court-marshaled then, Rex?" he asked, his voice soft. "I wonder since you have arrived with Jedi if you are aware that the Jedi too are traitors of the Emperor's new Empire?" he asked.

"I would like to introduce General Skywalker and Commander Ahsoka Tano," Rex said, "My commanding officers for the New Republic," he explained. "And we want your help."

Cut nodded, "It's nice to meet you, Master Jedi, and you are safe here. My philosophy is live and let live. Now, please come in," he said and Anakin and Ahsoka followed behind the Clone Troopers.

"What do you know of this planet?" Anakin asked, he sensed that there was enough Force here that this planet would escape the eyes of the Emperor and his Empire. The Jedi would be able to safely hide and rebuild.

"We are the only citizens on this planet, General. There is a Jedi enclave on the other side of the planet."

"I had noticed, Commander Cody and the rest of the Clone Troopers to clear it out. We must ask your permission to house the Jedi and Clones here. There is a good chance, if fact it's almost definite the new war will come here," Anakin stressed. "I have no desire to put your family in danger; I have a family of my own."

"You Master Jedi?" Cut asked.

"Call me Skywalker," Anakin said. "Yes, I married the Senator from Naboo," Anakin said but Cut shook his head, he only watched the holonews for news that would harm his family or not. "We have twins, a boy and a girl. Luke and Leia."

"And they are in danger?" Cut guessed.

"It's quite possible," Anakin added. "The new Emperor is a Sith Lord, The Sith Lord, he orchestrated the entire war," Anakin explained.

"This planet was once the home of the Jedi, it is right that it be so again," Cut said. "Welcome home, my brother. And welcome Jedi," he said. "Come meet my wife and children." Rex remembered the Twi'liks from before but there was a new child, a daughter, half Twi-lik half human. "Rex, you remember my wife Suu, my daughters Shaeeah and Raquel," he said nodding toward the Twi'lik and the half-Twi'lik, "and my son, Jek," Cut introduced. Rex's eyes went to Raquel.

"Yours?" Ahsoka asked, going to the youngling. "I know how to hold him," she said as she bent down to pick up the youngling.

Anakin leaned in close to Rex. "You remember what I asked you about younglings, you might want to start considering it, Rex?" Anakin said to his Clone Captain as he noticed the way Ahsoka melted around younglings at some point she would want her own, it was obvious in the way she coed over his twins and the way she melted over the half-Twi'lik. Anakin imagined she was imagined her own youngling in the not too distant future. Anakin excused himself and let Rex, Ahsoka, and Cut get reacquainted.

"General Skywalker, should I accompany you?" he asked.

"No, stay here, Rex, I'm going to check out the Jedi Enclave," he told him, as he walked away feeling through the Force his way around. Following the Force, Anakin found himself in front of a cave. Anakin heard a voice from his past.

"Enter, you must," he heard, and turned to see Master Yoda. Anakin wasn't surprised to find him in front of the cave. It seemed appropriate for the diminutive Jedi Master. "Knight Skywalker knew I did that come you would."

"Master Yoda!" Anakin was glad that the Jedi Master still lived!

"Knew I did, that escape the purges you would. Long has it been, since seen you I have." Anakin wanted to hug the master but wasn't sure how, and so Anakin fell to his knees, bowing to the master in front of him. "Changed you have, agree with you Fatherhood does."

"Twins," Anakin admitted. "Luke and Leia, will it be safe for them," Anakin asked crossing his legs in a meditative position so that he could speak to the Jedi master.

"Strong, the Force is. Hidden on Dantooine, the Jedi once were, and so will be again. Safe they will be, for now." Anakin smiled, thinking of the safety of his family, his extended family. The twins would have the best of both worlds, he would see to it. "Planted within you, dark seed the Emperor did. Destroyed the seeds, the Senator and the Skywalker twins did. Feel guilty you still do?" Master Yoda asked.

"Yes, Master. Master Dooku revealed that this…Sidious was responsible for my mother's death, but that doesn't excuse the blood on my hands. I was so overcome with grief, with anger at the unfairness of it. Mom was still so young…so had so much life ahead of her," Anakin's voice still cracked over the memory, "But that is no excuse for touching the Dark Side, for the slaughter of the Sand People," Anakin said hanging his head in shame.

"So far have you come. Yet, the guilt within you could consume you. A great destiny before you, you still have. Enter the cave, and see the guilt cleansed," Master Yoda told him, nodding his head. "Yes, enter the cave, you must."


	72. Chapter 72

Crystal Cave

Anakin Skywalker pulled up his Jedi cloak, masking his face from view, as he stepped into the Crystal Cave. The Force was indeed strong here, and Anakin heard many whispers. Anakin saw a massive weapon attacking the planet of Alderaan, and it being blowed into a million pieces. Bail Organa, Breha, their infant daughter, and every other citizen of that planet.

He saw a different future, for he knew that this Jedi hadn't attacked the Temple…there was something familiar about this Jedi, who led….the 501st on an attack on the Temple. How could his men betray him? Betray the Jedi? Anakin wondered as he watched. Where was Captain Rex? How could Tup and the rest follow those orders? Anakin watched as the blue lightsaber cut down Jedi after Jedi.

"How could you?" he head a Jedi scream.

"You betray your master!" shouted another one, and if the figure hadn't been purely male, he would have wondered if it were Barriss. But as he watched the Jedi use the Force, as he watched his fighting style, he remembered his attack on the Sand People, something about it was eerily familiar. The scene in front of him changed into Padme, his love, heavily pregnant with his twins, and he saw her gasping and choking as the figure held out his hand, choking her with the Force.

"No! Stop!" he called out, igniting his own lightsaber, but he passed easily through the figure. He then dropped to Padme's side, placing his human hand on her injured neck. "Padme…" he asked. She opened her brown eyes to look into his.

"There is still good in you," she said, "Our younglings will be your salvation, and I will always love you, Ani," she said as her eyes closed again, he felt the pulse in her neck, she was alive. Anakin took a deep breathe, his wasn't real. He had been there when Luke and Leia had been born, they had been born on Tattooine with Obi-Wan, Ahsoka, Rex, and the 501st surrounding them to say nothing of the Lars. This was an illusion, and having discovered that Padme disappeared into thin air and in her place were figures he hadn't seen since Mortis. The Son, the Daughter, and the Father.

"You are the Chosen One," Father said. "We knew when we directed you ship toward Mortis that you were the Chosen One, and we knew equally how important the Guardian and the Protector are."

"Any choice you make is the right choice simply because you have made it," Son added.

"No, his right to feel is his, don't confuse him, Brother," Daughter added.

"We have come with a warning," Father added. "Within your lifetime my wife will be set free, as I am Balance she is chaos, defeat her and you will restore Order to the Galaxy, only you and the Son of Sons can complete this mission."

"Son is wrong, Chosen One," Daughter added, "You are the key, the galaxy would be a much darker place without you on the side of the Jedi," she told him. "We are all inside you as you have been touched by us all; we can never truly die that is why it is up to you to stop Mother." As Anakin watched they too disappeared. Anakin again watched his assault on the Sand People, and it felt eerily like his other vision of the massacre of the Temple, and yet he saw Sidious's influence this time. But he had made the decision, and he would know that it would only make him stronger; he would use his brush with the Dark Side to prevent others from making the same mistakes. Understanding dawned in his eyes as he turned to see the Spirit of Qui-Gon Jinn, who stepped forward and hugged him.

"Ani, my son, you have become more powerful, a greater Jedi than even I could have imagined. When I lay dying I saw you destroying the Emperor and I knew it was you…who would bring Balance to the Force and the Galaxy though many trials lie ahead of you, it is you through your selflessness and your faith, your loyalty that will lead you to your destiny."

"Master…" Anakin said and then after a breathe, "Father….Dad," Anakin addressed the man in front of him, finally releasing him as he saw the similarities between them, it was in the eyes, and the hair, and the recklessness, the affinity for the Living Force and loyalties, though there was still some of Shmni in Anakin, her single-minded focus on what was right and wrong, and yet her ability to see different sides of things to know that there were things greater than herself lived within Anakin, she could survive as a slave as long as she had something to believe in.

"I am all those things and yet nothing, I am one with the Force," Qui-Gon relayed. "And to retain your identity is something you will learn in time. However, that is not today," Qui-Gon said with a smile as he ruffled the younger man's hair affectionately. "I have become very proud of you, I have always been watching over you from the moment my life left my physical body."

"I know, I heard you…I was just so lost when I slaughtered the Tuskans."

"I knew this would haunt you, but you are not lost. You will use this to become even stronger, it is a bridge between you and my former master."

"Master Dooku?"

"Yes, Ani, I know you have had many trials and you will have many more, but you, my son, will overcome," he said and Anakin watched as he disappeared and Anakin was left with a rare lightsaber crystal in his head as he again saw Master Yoda.

"Learned something have you, Knight Skywalker?"

"Yes, Master Yoda," Anakin said and his voice was strong and confident.

"A necessary lesson the Sand People were."

"Yes Master," Anakin repeated, not shying away from the memory anymore. The memory was his as was the experience. He owned it, it did not own him, and no longer did it haunt him.

Yoda watched as Knight Skywalker bowed to him and he watched the retreating figure of the Jedi Knight, Yoda felt the balance within the Knight as he slowly became everything he was meant to be. There as a sense of peace, of balance within him that had only come from putting his demons to rest. He was becoming the Knight he had always mean to become, was on his way to becoming a fine Jedi Master. Yoda felt a feeling of kinship with Knight Skywalker, Yoda wasn't so young that he had never felt the lull of the dark side, that he had never heard its call, but Yoda had stood strong and so had Skywalker, the Force flowed strongly through Skywalker as did the Force bonds between Skywalker and his allies. The bond between Padme and Skywalker was the strongest but not much lower on the scale was the bonds between master and padawan. Master Yoda was rather pleased with the Chosen One yet he stayed at the cave. This was where he was needed to be. No matter what happened Master Yoda's place was here. Yoda's place would always be here, guiding the Jedi. He was getting too old to fight and as he saw it that job would now be left into the hands of Skywalker and his allies, Yoda would only interfere when necessary.


	73. After

After Affects

Across the Galaxy feelings of peace were felt by Force-users including the Skywalker twins. Revan had been visiting with Obi-Wan, Satine, Padme, the Clones and the Skywalker twins when the feelings hit them. Beru was holding infant Luke in her arms; she had snuck away on many occasions while her husband worked. Since Anakin had made some modification to their droids they were working at peak performance and even Owen was able to work fewer hours to achieve the same results, even his profits had doubled. Obi-Wan and Revan shared a look as a feeling of peace settled over them. "Anakin," Obi-Wan whispered, feeling the familiar presence of his padawan behind the peaceful feeling, and he smiled. "Anakin has found balance," he declared and Revan nodded.

"Let's hope he can keep it, balance is a difficult thing to maintain," he added.

Obi-Wan looked over at his duchess who was holding infant Leia. She seemed to be much better around Anakin's younglings, Obi-Wan wondered if he should thank Anakin for breaking the Code, as he came up behind her and put her arms around her, she flinched for a second and visibly relaxed. "Obi-Wan, I mean what I said, I do love you and I always will. I know that that monster only healed me to hurt you, and that soon I will need to take Mandalore back, how long can the Prime Minister stay in the will of the people?" she asked, and Obi-Wan took her free hand as Padme came up and held Leia. Tyrone Dooku she feared would never like younglings, but at least he was helping her bring the Republic back, give the people a fighting chance against this dictatorship. She would never had dreamed a year ago both she and Anakin would have younglings and be supporting Master Count Tyrone Dooku.

Padme remembered Anakin telling her of the Rebellion of Onderon, and knew she would have to contact them as well; it was more than possible that they would help support the growing Rebellion Republic. There was a king she would need to see in person, King Ramsis Denup. Padme hadn't been paying any attention to the Jedi, but she had noticed that Leia was calmer than normal. The twins hadn't been the same since Anakin had left, they missed him and so did she. Revan sensing her intent came to take Leia from her mother. Leia giggled and coed and the older man, who appeared about the age of her father. She trusted him. Luke looked over at her, and the twins met each other's eyes, spreading the peaceful feeling back and forth as it multiplied, bouncing back and forth as they were able to levitate out of the arms of the ones that held them. Padme's eyes widened as she turned to Obi-Wan. "Obi-Wan are all younglings able to do this?" she asked worry in her voice.

"Padme," Obi-Wan said, stepping closer to her as he left Satine's side, "There has never in the history of the Jedi been a Jedi as powerful as Anakin," Obi-Wan looked to Count Dooku who didn't contradict him. "And as his younglings, I would expect the unexpected," he told her. "Don't worry, Padme, we will be here to help you."

"But what about Anakin?" Padme asked.

"We will be joining him shortly," Obi-Wan told her, "All of us, we are relocating to Dantooine, Anakin reports that there is a Jedi Enclave and that the Force is strong enough to hide the Jedi and your family, Padme. You will be safe, you have my word," Obi-Wan told her. "Dantooine has a history of being a haven for the Jedi, but the Sith will not look there, they will know of the last Sith attack there, there has not been a Jedi there since that attack, in fact there is only one family living there," Obi-Wan explained.

"Can you handle what Luke and Leia are doing?" she asked.

"Easily. Rest easy, Padme," Obi-Wan told her. Obi-Wan used the Force to lower them into Beru and Revan's arms and he and Revan worked on suppressing the Force bond between them so that the energy wouldn't continue to flow between them feeding their Force abilities. Their mission on Tattooine was non-detection. Beru kissed Luke's head.

"Rest easy, Luke," she said, "You are such a smart and strong boy, yes you are," she said before handing Luke to Satine as she followed Padme home. She knew Obi-Wan would bring them by later.

Once at the Lars, Padme contacted Bail Organa. She hadn't noticed that Tyrone Dooku had followed her until she heard his voice.

"Viceroy, I'm afraid we haven't been formally introduced," Tyrone Dooku said.

"Introductions are hardly necessary," the Viceroy replied.

"Bail, Tyrone Dooku is now on our side, we are going to need a face of the Republic Alliance so that we will be able to recruit more members to our Cause. We must hurry before fear of the Empire spreads too deeply. Anakin is getting our armor, and you were able to get Anakin's transfer?" Padme asked.

"Yes, Padme, Master Anakin's transfer was a success. Breha and I will do what we can to become the face of the Republic Alliance."

"Then you are fit to become the new Chancellor."

"It will be put up to a vote as it must, but I will always dedicate my life to the service of the Republic."

"I could…" Padme started before both Bail and Tyrone disagreed, Anakin was too important and he would risk much for their family, it was not a wise decision.

"I will see that you are elected, or at least co-elected, a singular person leads to corruption."

"So just what are you, Dooku? A Sith? A Jedi?"

"I am Tyrone Dooku, Count of Serrano, Gray Jedi, I will serve neither the light nor the dark," Dooku told him, he would never be free of the dark as Anakin now was. He too had felt that peace from Skywalker which meant the Emperor could as well; he only hoped he couldn't pinpoint a location. He would do what he could to keep the darkness contained, even if he would never cease in its use.

On Taris, the Jedi felt the feelings of peace that Skywalker projected; it gave the Jedi hope in their Chosen One. As long as their Chosen One served the light, the Jedi would survive and the Sith would never win. They received the message from Master Yoda to come to Dantooine, that the Jedi would be safe, and the Jedi boarded their freighters on their way to rendezvous with Skywalker and his team, for Master Yoda had informed them that they were there. The Jedi were busy, the ones who weren't fighting the raghouls were busy with the transport. They hoped that Dantooine would serve them better than Taris had. Even if it had been a good idea, a place of safety from the Empire, they had to sleep in shifts, protecting themselves from the creatures of the planet, and they were ready to leave it behind once and for all. They now had a destination, and Master Kit led the transportation of Jedi from Taris to Dantooine. The Jedi could hardly wait to see their Chosen One again. They had missed having the Jedi all together again and this would do it. They would send out the Code to all Jedi to return to Dantooine.

On Kashyyk, Master Kota cared for Galen Marek and PROXY. The youngling was now five months old, and Master Kota believed with every passing day he grew strong with the Force. There was a ten year old named Han Solo who had helped him barter with the locals on Kashyyk, since the child spoke the language. Master Kota felt the Force flow through and around him as if in some way this child would be important, even if he wouldn't be a Jedi. Master Kota and Galen Marek felt the shift within the Force, the feeling of peace and the baby coed and giggled as he crawled around the small hut in the trees and too Master Kota. Rohm Kota was becoming very attached to this youngling and found himself smiling at the youngling and clapping as he crawled. He wasn't so bad at this father thing though he felt for Galen's parents, and he often played the message Kento had left his son.

"Proxy, play the message for Galen again," he said and Proxy projected the image of Kento for his son. "Apologies, Master Kota, but an incoming message from General Plo Koon."

"Patch it through," Proxy.

"Greetings, General Kota, it has been a long time."

"Too long, my friend," General Kota said as he picked up Galen Marek so that he wouldn't crawl off while he was distracted.

"The Jedi have been recalled to Dantooine. How is your militia?" he asked.

"I have been in contact with them and they pledge their allegiance to the Republic."

"As do the Wolfpack," Master Plo Koon said. "I do hope my niece is alright," he said. "We have been stuck on Manaan without a functioning transport," Master Plo explained.

"We will pick you up on our way, Master Plo and I last saw Sha on Coruscent, she was alive," he told her.

"Thank the Force," Master Plo breathed a sigh of relief. "We will be waiting for you. Koon out," he said and the transmission was cut. Master Kota went to contact his militia and see about getting off the Wookiee world.

Meanwhile, Darth Sidious felt the light as well, and wrapped the Darkness around him shielding himself from such feelings. The Empire was off to a good start. The Clones had done what was ordered, but before he could collect the DNA from the Kaminoes he had been informed it had been stolen by a Jedi, he didn't have to guess which one. There were very few that remained within the Order that were that bold. Already, Darth Sidious had executed many Senators who did not agree with him, although he couldn't touch Bail Organa, he had the will of the people and executing him was too risky. He had placed Barriss Offee behind the scenes as his hand, his assassin, and she was targeting many of his threats.

He had put her to the task of finding Senator Skywalker but so far she had come up empty, but that was to change tomorrow she would be able to monitor Viceroy Organa's communicators, she was bound to contact him eventually. Either he or Mas Amedda would know where Padme was, and she would need to suffer, she should be made to suffer, she kept surviving despite his best attempts of having her voice silenced, alive she would come back. If she disappeared he would let her, but he saw her as one of the reasons his Empire possibly could collapse. Anakin was a lost hope, oh what an apprentice he would have made, and Maul had had to challenge him. Luckily, the people supported him, feared the Jedi and wanted the security that the Empire gave it. The Clone Troopers were being organized into stormtroopers. He had cloned the Zillo Beast and it would serve to keep any systems in line that he needed to. The Empire had a huge shipyard, and the Death Star was being built, he could hardly wait for the day when it would be operational. There were many Jedi like the dead Krell who had joined his cause, if only Dooku was dead. The Trade Federation had been promoted to a high ranking office and he had a secret weapon. As long as the people followed him he could see no threat to his power, not with the Clone Army and Navy under his command. He was already recruiting and housing an Imperial Army and Naval as well as had a training facility under his command. The Sith would rule the Galaxy, all he had to do was find and eliminate Skywalker who was the only real threat to his plan.


	74. Chapter 74

Anakin Skywalker raced toward the landing platform, happy to see his wife's Nubian cruiser, surveying the planet. They were defiantly going to need more security, so they could keep themselves safe from the Empire. "Tup," Anakin said nodding to his Clone Trooper. "See what we can do about getting some type of security set up. We need landing codes, and surveillance. Some of the Troopers will need to be trained as pilot, check and see if Hardcase, Jesse, and Fives are up for it," Anakin told him.

"After what happened with General Krell, I'm sure they are General. Right away, sir," Tup said as he left to carry out his orders.

"Cut, what can we do about sniper towers?" Anakin asked him.

"There are some abandoned buildings and some scrap heaps we can use to build the towers, Skywalker," Cut told him as he went to send some of the Troopers on the Order. He understood why Skywalker was edgy, his wife and younglings would see be on this planet. Padme landed, holding Luke and Leia in her arms as Anakin forgot his men, and looked at the form of his wife, who had the body back she had had before her pregnancy. Anakin's heart swelled with love for his wife and younglings, as he ran, and she walked steadily toward him the month old twins in her arms. He reached her side and kissed her fully on the lips, lost in her taste, her lips, it was like coming home. He forgot himself, until his daughter's cries startled him. Anakin's lips slid away from his wife's as Padme chuckled.

"Someone missed you," she said. Anakin chuckled as he picked up Leia and pressed kisses to her cheeks.

"How's Daddy's princess?" he asked.

"It seems the twins have learned a new trick?" she told him. Anakin was mesmerized by his daughter.

"And what's that? Has Daddy's princess learned to roll over?" he asked her, tickling the bottoms of her feet so he could hear her giggle.

"She and Luke can use the Force," Padme explained. Anakin grinned.

"That's impressive!" he told her, "Most impressive, why it was several months after I joined the Jedi that I could do that…I was a fast learner," he explained.

"And so are the twins," she said as Anakin replaced Leia in Padme's arms and picked up Luke.

"How's Prince Luke?" Anakin asked as he kissed his cheeks, and smoothed the tawny hair of his son, the Son of Sons. "I'm so proud of you both," he said leading the way toward the Estate he had prepared for his family.

"Anakin, wait up," he heard and Anakin turned around to see Master Obi-Wan. Anakin and Padme halted. "Tell me what happened here," Master Obi-Wan requested of his padawan. "You seem different somehow," he told him. Anakin looked from Luke to Obi-Wan.

"Fatherhood agrees with me," he said, revealing nothing and then almost as an afterthought he added, opening the bond between them wider, so that Obi-Wan could understand. "Master Yoda is here," he said, and sent the memories of his visit in the cave to his former master.

"Oh, Anakin, I have wanted this for you for so long. Qui-Gon is your father. How is that possible?"

"Aren't you the one always telling me that with the Force anything is possible?" Anakin asked as he noticed Satine following Obi-Wan, closely. Anakin smiled; at least she was being near him now. Anakin knew that there was love between the two of them; in the same way he had always known he would marry Padme.

"Anakin, I've never been prouder of the man you have become, of the Jedi you are," Obi-Wan told him, as they hugged. Anakin feelings were always so pure, so true, they said much about the man in front of him, Anakin could love, and as long as they was love there was hope for the galaxy. Anakin looked from Obi-Wan back to Luke.

"There is a Jedi enclave here, and several of the Troopers have set up huts for themselves. Ahsoka's been staying with my captain," Anakin admitted.

"Are you saying there is something between your padawan and Rex?" Obi-Wan asked suspicion in his voice.

"Spend any time around them Obi-Wan and you will feel it," Anakin said as he quickly jogged with Luke in his arms to catch up to Leia and Padme. "They have grown so much," he said as he led her to the mansion that was to be theirs. He had set up the baby things from Naboo in a room overlooking the farmland of Dantooine, giving them a great view. Artoo was already inside, feeding the HoloNews. Anakin turned to it, as he entered after carrying Padme over the threshold and levitating the twins.

"This is Bail Organa, Chancellor of the Rebellion Alliance. The war is over, that is what the Emperor would have you believe, but the fact is it is he who was behind the war, he who manipulated us into fighting into spending needless money on a pointless war. The Separatists were right, and they have joined our cause. You do not have to be part of the Empire, there is another choice. Join the Rebellion, fight against the Empire, save the Jedi," he said and they another report came on. Anakin and Padme looked at one another.

"Bail Organa is a brave man, he needs to go into hiding. The Emperor will be coming after him, Padme," Anakin told her and she nodded.

"We will need to send out Clones after Breha and Winter that is the fastest way to hurt him."

"And relocate him somewhere, he can't come here, Padme, if he were to be tracked it would put all our lives in danger. I may be a Jedi, but even I am not all-powerful, however much I wish it."

"Telos may be a safe place, I will discuss it. Let me send a squadron of troops," he said before picking up his comlink. "Snips, I need you to take a small squadron of Troops and secure Viceroy Organa and his family. Take them to….Onderon, and contact the Rebels there. They will be needed for greater things. They will be needed to recruit others to our cause," Anakin told her.

"Alright Master, Rex and I are on it," she said and Anakin felt better. Bail had a large role to play in the Rebel Alliance. He was a voice that many would listen to, how many times had Padme asked Bail to plead her case, how many times had she tried to convince Senators only to be told they would wait to see what Organa had to say.

As Obi-Wan and Satine settled into Dantooine, Ahsoka, Rex, and a small squadron left to find Bail and his family. Every day that passed more and more Jedi found refuge on the planet of Dantooine.


	75. Dantoone

Dantooine

The days passed into weeks and the weeks into months, and the months into years. Many planets were suffering an unease, and unrest as the Empire and Rebellion fought for dominance, the Clone Wars may have ended, but the war had not, this was a new age. An age where there were heroes and there were villains, an age where sacrifices were made, where the greater good was a thing that sometimes made the heroes make deals with those that were once considered their enemies. This was the age of the Rise and Fall of an Empire, of the rise and fall of the Sith.

Bail Organa's speech swayed many to their cause, along with the feats of the Jedi and the Clone Troopers, who were on the side of the Jedi, different than the reorganized stormtroopers, named for storming planets and terrifying the citizens who remained loyal to the Republic, who were against the formation of the Empire. There were still those who thought the Jedi were traitors, and that saw their collaboration with Count Dooku as a betrayal, those that didn't understand the Jedi or the Sith and feared them both. Those that were against both and didn't believe in the Force, those that didn't understand and feared that that they didn't understand.

Some of those people were closer than anyone knew. Padme's handmaidens had come with her to help take care of the twins so she could spend time working on the Rebellion and spending time with her husband. Not a day went by when she didn't spend hours with her twins, but with two small younglings and a husband that was frequently needed elsewhere she needed help. Sabe, Rabe, Elle, and her aide Teckla had joined Padme, though Teckla went back and forth to Naboo. Teckla had a family on Naboo, and she only came to Dantooine once every few months to visit with Padme and keep her informed of the comings and goings of the Galaxy since Anakin was very paranoid about her using the HoloNet or having Holo Conference, she kept them brief and far between, if fact the only person Anakin let her contact was Bail. They had fought over this more than once, and he had explained that he was protecting her, their younglings, and the Jedi. The more contact with the outside world, the greater their chances for discovery. Although Padme could see his point, it still frustrated her to no end. Every day more and more Jedi had showed up. Sha and Plo Koon enjoyed a closer relationship than ever before. Padme herself had been walking with the twins down to the spaceport, when they had arrives standard minutes of one another.

"Sha," he had whispered, "Did you do as I asked?" the Kel Dor Jedi master had asked his niece.

"Yes, of course, Uncle," she said, as she buried her face in her uncle's robes, glad to see him, as he patted her back awkwardly, before embracing her fully. "It doesn't matter now. We know who it is, we were all blinded. He is the Sith Lord," she stressed.

"Yes, so he is, Sha," he said, looking at her. "You have come a long way since I brought you to the Temple."

"Thank you, Master."

"Sha, these titles we have must be used more sparingly, these are difficult times, niece, and we must be careful."

"Do you not mean mindful?"

"No, Sha. We must be careful. And we are family….call me Uncle."

"I will, Uncle. Now let's find some of Knight Skywalker's Clones and settle in."

"Yes, let's do that," he said as Commander Alpo approached the Jedi, Padme watched amazed at how much the Jedi had changed. Sha and Plo stopped and bowed to her.

"Senator Amidala Skywalker," Plo greeted as he looked down in the carriage. "Ahh, Little Luke and Leia, The Son of Sons and the Daughter of the Force," Plo said. Padme had heard the talk of Luke before. She knew that her son had a huge destiny ahead of him, had been hearing that since he had been born, but this was the first time she had heard a title attached to her daughter. Padme was getting sick of all the destiny and title crap. First, her husband was the Jedi's cursed Chosen One and now her children. Padme took a deep breath and picked her young son, feeling the peace settle through her.

"Master Plo, Knight Sha," Padme greeted them. "The Daughter of the Force?" she asked, tightly.

"Ah yes, of course. She will one day carry on the Force heritage of your family, given birth to a whole line of Jedi."

"I don't understand," Padme said, frowning as she imagined her daughter as some kind of Jedi breeding mare.

"No, no," Sha said, "She will find love on her own, but she will give birth to the future of the Jedi, your family is extremely strong in the Force, your husband being the Chosen One, and your son being the Son of Sons; however his destiny is much different than hers. She is here to continue the ways of the Force to bring generations of strong Force users that will protect the galaxy. She will not have to face the Sith, perhaps, but she will be strong, a very strong influence on the Galaxy at large," Sha explained. Padme kissed her son's head and bent down to look at her daughter whose eyes had turned to the brown shade of her own, and who had grown dark curly hair. Was having a destiny the burden of being a Skywalker?" Padme replaced Luke in his carriage and went to find Satine. Satine was knee-deep in trying to find a way to liberate Mandalore, although the appearance of her nephew and sister had greatly helped. Anakin worried about so many people being here on Dantooine although Master Yoda had assured him that they were safe, that the Force would protect them. Anakin carried everyone's safety on his shoulders, Padme knew, and if they were found he would blame himself.

The Jedi Revan had an idea though. He was a strange Jedi to be sure. He had suggested that one of the Clones who were Mandalorian genetically may challenge the Prime Minister Alek and Death Watch, so that they could regain Mandalore. He remembered the visions from his former master, Kreia, who would later become Darth Traya; it seemed so many Jedi were destined to walk in the dark, Him, Malak, Bastilla, Kreia, Dooku, and even Anakin Skywalker. Revan enjoyed being on Dantooine; it reminded him of both his first training and his second. Revan had watched as his grandson Anakin's padawan had left with a team of Clones and remembered leaving with his wife and Mission. Ahsoka had been so much like Mission, it was uncanny. How he wished to see his friends again! Even Malak would be refreshing, but alas, it was not to be.

He wondered what his role was in this new galaxy. He had been offered a spot on the Council, who now wanted views on both the light and the dark, and had strangely enough accepted. He believed that his place in this galaxy was as an adviser, as a teacher, not as a soldier. And so he would stay. And he would teach, and he would wait, and when the Sith fell and the Skywalker's flourished he would be there, to have witnessed the greatest event in all the history of the Jedi and the Sith, it all the history of the Galaxy. This time he felt much like Jolee Bindo and the story of the snake.

Anakin and Padme along with Master Dooku spoke with Bail as Satine and Obi-Wan watched their younglings.

"Viceroy Organa, my Clones are en route to get you from Coruscent, they already have your wife and daughter in their custody."

"Thank the Force," Bail said. "You believe my life is in danger, Master Jedi?"

"After that speech, Viceroy?" Anakin asked, as he stood with his military bearing. "You should have left before the speech," Anakin reproached him. "You aren't dealing with any man, viceroy but a Sith. The Jedi are no longer on Coruscent and have become enemies of the Empire."

"Of the Empire but not the Rebellion, it's coming along better than I could have hoped."

"That may be, Viceroy," Anakin said.

"You cannot put your family at risk. You give this galaxy something to hope, something to believe in," Padme said, squeezing her husband's hand.

"You must be careful," Anakin continued.

"There are droids that will be arriving stay with them until the Clones arrive," Dooku instructed. "We will see the Empire fall to its knees," Dooku continued, passion evident in his voice. "We will see the Rebellion succeed becoming the only form of government, for the people, of the people, by the people."

"We must not forget what we are fighting for," Padme said laying a gentle hand on Tyrone's forearm. He nodded.

"Here on the name of Senators from the former Separatists Alliance. As General Skywalker has said we will be moving you…the Troopers are aware of your location," Dooku said, sharing Skywalker's fear of being overheard. There was a knock on the door, and battle droids appeared, armed and protecting the viceroy. "They were closer," Dooku explained. Anakin nodded, as his attention swayed, he wasn't very keen on politics, so he walked over to the window and stared out, meditating while Dooku and Padme discussed politics, learning of the role of the stormtroopers and of the laws and Orders that had gone into effect. The new Order it was called. Bail recounted to Padme and Tyrone the measures that criticized the Republic and that were there to ensure there would never be another war that cost as many lives as the Clone Wars, a clear lie, for the Rebellion was picking up speed as it became increasingly aware that the Empire cared not for females or aliens.

Anakin meditated feeling the bonds between his master and padawan and the light that was fused there, it was him, that influenced those bonds he knew, once he had felt more darkness through the bonds, now he felt only light. The future that he was following would not be an easy path, but since when had anything been easy for the Chosen One. Anakin saw a crash in his mind, and a planet. Umbera. It was coming from Ahsoka. So Ahsoka and his Clones were with Breha and Winter on Umbera. Anakin wondered what horrors would await them. The Force was telling him that this was Ahsoka's test, after this she would be a knight. His little Ahsoka would be a knight and not a padawan, it seemed only yesterday he had met her. The brash fourteen year old padawan. Was he really getting on reminiscing on the Battle of Christophis.

General Kota had chosen a hut for which he would raise Galen Malek. He was glad his militia had been able to join him, and had sent them on a mission to collect intel from the Empire. He felt like he was the parent of young Galen, and he made a home with Galen and Proxy much as he had done on Manaan. He had been able to obtain plenty of kolta which should greatly help the fledging Rebellion. Galen meant more to Kota than any other Jedi, he was finally able to feel what it was Anakin had always felt. Anakin had changed the Jedi, they were now able to adapt, to evolve as the Sith had. They had reconized the need for attachments, the need to know that there was something in this galaxy to fight for, that if they died, there were others that must live, that would give them the grace to fight rather than surrender. How had the Chosen One learned this when they had all been so blind?

Revan knew that Anakin would be able to save them, the Zillo Beast had been cloned and it would attack, and Anakin must be able to face it, for this Zillo Beast was one that only the Hero with No Fear could defeat. It was able to feed off Fear, it was how it had been engineered, it no longer saw with eyes, but through a fear sense, and only the Hero with No Fear would be able to destroy it when it came.

Anakin saw through the Force, a vision of a Jedi Academy schooled in many arts. He saw Jedi cadets running around Dantooine, he saw classes where they learned not only Jedi training, but military conduct, politics, and hand to hand combat. He saw that his is where they would learn to succeed, not just as Jedi, but at surviving, and with the Dark Lord in control, this is what they would need. He saw Clones training Jedi in the ways of the Mandalorians, and he saw them succeeding, that they would be able to defeat the Empire in this way. They were taught to blend in, in a way that would bring the Empire to its knees.


End file.
